The initial suggestion that a student conference be held at the United States Military Academy was made by cadets of the West Point Debate Council in the spring of 1949. The following autumn, their suggestion matured into the USMA Student Conference on United States Affairs. Today the conference is organized and administered by the faculty of the Department of Social Sciences.

     SCUSA has grown in size and in the scope of its geographical representation since its inception. In 1949, SCUSA had 126 delegates from 53 schools concentrated in the Northeast. Last year's SCUSA hosted 223 students from 125 schools throughout the United States and Canada, 14 delegates from foreign military schools, and 33 Fulbright scholars representing 30 countries. Eighty United States Military Academy cadets participated as delegates and approximately 120 cadets assisted in organization, logistics, and administration.

     Financial support for the first five conferences was provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Support for subsequent conferences has been provided by private sources and by contributions from the Cadet Debate Council and Forum. The George Olmsted Foundation, the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation, Inc., the Banbury Fund, the Ross Perot Fund, the Annenberg Foundation, and the West Point Fund have been among the major private donors to SCUSA. We are proud to say that SCUSA will be supported in perpetuity by USMA Class of 1971.

     For a number of years, the conference organization has remained generally the same. A proven format has evolved which effectively accomplishes the following conference objectives:

     a) To produce an informative examination and discussion of selected aspects of United States public policy. SCUSA has primarily been a conference on foreign relations.
     b) To facilitate an increased appreciation for the complex nature of the policy-making process among a group of outstanding college students.
     c) To broaden the student participants' contact with their contemporaries in an academic endeavor.

     The Military Academy continues to sponsor the Student Conference on United States Affairs in the belief that it can foster the growth of mutual understanding among the potential civilian and military leaders of the country and thus make a significant contribution toward the future security of the United States.

     The official record of the conference, the Proceedings, was published annually by the Military Academy until 1992 and may be found in university and public libraries across the country. Beginning in 1993, the Round Table Reports replaced the Proceedings.

     Life at the United States Military Academy varies significantly from the average American university in areas such as daily schedule, academic program, honor code, summer training, faculty, and language. Cadets from all over the nation, as well as numerous foreign exchange students, live and work together 24 hours a day. As you live and interact with cadets during the four-day conference, you will discover numerous unusual traits about how the four classes of cadets interact.

     Days begin early for all cadets. Plebes (freshmen) generally wake up at 5:30 am to ensure they are prepared for the day and perform duties such as delivering newspapers and announcing the uniform for breakfast formation. Upper-class cadets may have the luxury of sleeping in until 6:00 or 6:30. Each cadet is required to clean his or her room and prepare it for an unannounced inspection. Preparation includes making beds, clearing desks, straightening bookshelves, and aligning clothes in the closets. The first duty of the day is breakfast formation at 6:55 a.m.. The following schedule is typical during the academic year.

0655 Breakfast Formation
0735 Four Morning Class Periods
1205 Lunch Formation
1245 Lab Period
1350 Two Afternoon Class Periods
1600 Sports or Drill
1800 Optional Dinner
1930 Study Period
2330 Taps (everyone must be in his or her respective room)
2400 Lights out

     The four-year academic curriculum requires 30 core courses and at least 10-12 electives, towards a major in a cadets choice of a wide range of engineering or humanities fields. The academic program is designed to produce well-rounded army officers. The required courses include the following:

     The remainder of the 30-course core requirement is made up of a three-course engineering sequence all cadets must take regardless of major. Cadets can choose from civil, electrical, environmental, mechanical, nuclear, and systems engineering, or computer science. All cadets graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree.

     Class sizes remain small at the Academy with only 12 to 18 cadets per instructor during a classroom attendance. Class attendance is mandatory and there is no tolerance for un-excused tardiness or absence. Most professors use the "Thayer Method." Colonel Sylvanus Thayer, Superintendent of the Military Academy from 1817 to 1833, introduced this system, which requires cadets to brief their homework problems from the boards. This requires students to study and learn their material before class. This technique teaches cadets good communication skills. On average, each cadet has an average of four hours of academic classes a day. The remaining time is either study time or physical education.

     The physical education program is also very extensive. Plebes are required to take gymnastics, swimming, and either boxing (for men) or combatives (for women). Yearlings (sophomores) take wrestling, combatives, and a fitness trainer course. The upper two classes must choose one activity from among courses such as skiing, soccer, golf, tennis, and scuba.

     Cadets perform many military duties in addition to academic and physical requirements. There is a cadet chain of command. The 4,000 member Corps of Cadets is divided into four regiments of approximately 1000 people. Each regiment consists of two battalions of four companies (130 people per company). A company is divided into four platoons, which is further divided into four squads of approximately eight people per squad. The most senior ranking cadet in the Corps is the First Captain. Cadets are evaluated on how they perform in various leadership roles. These experiences serve as part of their leadership training in preparation for commissioning as second lieutenants upon graduation.

     The first summer at the Academy is called Beast Barracks. It is basic introduction to military courtesies, marching, the Honor Code, rifle marksmanship, and various other military skills. The second summer at Camp Buckner (a training area here at West Point) concentrates on more advanced military skills. The second summer concludes six 48-hour "missions" in the hills around West Point and a week of armored warfare exercises at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The last two summers may include four weeks of training with regular army units across the world, a military school such as Airborne or Air Assault, or Individual Advanced Development (IAD). The IAD allow cadets to travel and develop real world experience in their specific field of study. Cadets receive approximately three weeks of vacation each summer.

     The faculty at West Point also adds a unique element to the school. The majority of the instructors are military officers with advanced degrees earned at top-ranked graduate schools in the U.S. and around the world. In addition to their academic qualifications, the officers are selected based on their demonstrated excellence as leaders in the Regular Army. They serve as military role models for the cadets. Approximately 20% of the academic staff are civilians with Ph.D's.

     As you interact with cadets, you will quickly notice that there is a distinct language full of acronyms and unusual terms. You will pick up much of the slang during your time at the conference. However, never hesitate to ask a cadet what he/she means if they say that they have ?a Mil-Art WPR on Saturday at 0715 and their Sosh paper is due at "1600 before drill." A cadet might also say he/she has to check if their "Yuks" are doing FCDT with their Plebes. This means he has an exam in Military History on Saturday and the International Relations paper is due at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, after which there is a parade practice. Then the cadet has to make sure the sophomore cadets are training their freshman cadets.

Beast:

Slang for Cadet Basic Training (CBT) during a cadet's first summer.

Comm:

The Commandant of Cadets. The one star general responsible for the military aspect of cadet life.

Cow:

A junior. These are individuals who are often enjoying the new freedom of attending movies during the middle of the week study period. They are the sergeants of the corps, serving as squad leaders and platoon sergeants.

Dean:

The one star general responsible for the academic program at the academy.

Dress Gray:

The "Evil Doctor" cadet uniform.

Dirt:

A required geography course generally taken by sophomores.

FCDT:

Fourth-class Development Time. Time prior to breakfast when yearlings train the plebes militarily, morally-ethically, and developmentally.

Firstie:

A senior. This is the only class allowed to possess cars on post and take off-post-privileges during the week. They act as the officers of the corps and hold leadership positions ranging from platoon leader (three stripes) to brigade First Captain (six stripes and a star).

Full Dress:

The formal cadet uniform, complete with brass buttons.

Green Girl:

Thick green blankets found on all cadet beds.

Goat:

A cadet ranked last in a class.

Hoo-Ah:

A term used throughout the Army to mean anything from agreement to motivation. Pronounced "whoo-aah."

Ike:

Eisenhower Hall.

Juice:

A course in electrical engineering.

Mess Hall:

Facility in Washington Hall where all 4,000 cadets are fed three times daily.

OPPs:

Off post privileges. The privilege for cows and firsties to leave West Point after the last duty during the week or weekend without applying for a pass.

"P":

An instructor or professor.

Pass:

Opportunity to leave the Academy overnight. With the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas, plebes typically have one pass per semester while firsties have an unlimited number.

PDA:

Public Display of Affection. This is strictly forbidden at all times at the Academy.

Plebe:

A freshman. Usually found standing at attention and using Sir and Ma?am in every sentence. Their rank is private.

Poop Deck:

The balcony in the center of the Mess Hall where announcements or "poop" are made.

Rack:

A cadet's bed. It is generally a favorite place to spend free time.

SAMI:

Saturday Morning Inspection. It is a strict inspection for which many cadets will spend several hours cleaning.

SOSH:

The Department of Social Sciences.

Squid:

A term of endearment for midshipmen from the Naval Academy.

Supe:

Superintendent. The three star general responsible for all activities at West Point. Comparable to a civilian university president.

TAC:

Tactical Officer. The officer responsible for cadet companies.

TEE:

A final or Term End Examination.

The Plain:

The grassy area in front of the barracks where parades are held.

WPR:

Written Partial Review. A test, often like a mid-term.

Yearling (Yuk):

A sophomore. Usually they are found trying to figure out the mysteries of physics. They are assigned as a team leader to a plebe.

Zoomie:

An exchange cadet from the Air Force Academy.