Cal Poly’s Army ROTC program is set to shut down by the end of the 2026-2027 academic year, according to Matt Lazier. Cadets who finished their second or third academic year will be able to finish their degrees and commissions at Cal Poly.
Cal Poly is one of 84 college ROTC programs that are being either completely cut or reorganized. It is also one of 10 host units across the country, which teach and train cadets on their home campus, that are being completely cut.
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The Army ROTC program trains cadets for commissions as Active Duty, National Guard or Reserve officers. Cadets also receive benefits such as paid tuition, priority registration for classes and internship opportunities with government organizations like NASA and the National Security Agency, according to their website. Since its establishment in the 1950s, the program has commissioned over 1,400 officers.
Electrical engineering freshman and ROTC cadet Cameron Sender learned about the program’s deactivation last week. Financing school is Sender’s biggest concern at the moment. To continue his officer training with paid tuition, he plans to transfer to the University of St. Tomas in his home state of Minnesota.
“I’m obviously very disappointed, but I know it isn’t Cal Poly’s fault,” Sender said.
The Army cited a 12% reduction in the Cadet Command’s civilian workforce as the reason for the closures; staff cuts are part of the Army Transformation Initiative in response to an April 30 directive from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. In a force-wide letter, Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll and Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Randy A. George stated that the initiative aims to “deliver critical warfighting capabilities, optimize our force structure, and eliminate waste and obsolete programs.”
“Our Army must transform now to a leaner, more lethal force by infusing technology, cutting obsolete systems, and reducing overhead to defeat any adversary on an ever-changing battlefield,” the letter read.
Update July 7, 3:11 p.m.: This article was updated to correct Cameron Sender’s grade level to ‘freshman’.