Op-Ed Reformation without explanation? For 17 years, the University's seemingly invisible animal committee secretly reviewed ex tensive proposals for live ver tibrate animal research. In November 1986. Vice President for Research John Moseley wrote a letter to the president of the local chapter of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, stating that: "Although we do not agree that the 1ACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Commit tee) is a 'governing body' of a ‘public body,' which would make the Oregon Public Meetings Acts applicable, we do agree to give you notice of these meetings, and allow you to attend.” Fourteen months later, no such notice has yet reached PET A. By Nickolas Facaros Emerald Columnist Cornball vegetarians with Bambi complexes do not perpetuate the animal rights movement. The members of Congress, for example, became activists in enacting the Animal Welfare Act, requiring lACUCs to review practices involving animals so as to "minimize pain and distress to animals." Similarly, the Public Health Service took action by requiring lACUCs to develop, implement, and review animal research pro grams that will "avoid or minimize discomfort, distress, and pain to animals." The University is supposedly devoted to animal welfare by way of a policy statement: "When animals must be used (in biological research), projects must be of sound design and of fer every practical safeguard to the animals." At the trial of Roger Troen. a man convicted of burglary and theft charges at the University animal laboratories, witnesses testified under oath that in University labs mother cats ate their kittens and researchers cut eye muscles of insufficiently i anesthetized kittens. This slice of (laboratory) life does not ex haust the Edgar Allen Poeticism at the trial. The 1ACUC seemingly is sub ject to Oregon Public Meetings Act if it has "the authority to make decisions for or recom mendations to a public body on policy or administration." Public Health Service Policy requires the 1ACUC to “make recommendations to the Institu tional Official regarding any aspect of the institution’s (PHS supported) animal program.” The University is an institution as well as a public body. An "institutional official" is an in dividual who makes "a commit ment of behalf of the institution that the requirements of PHS policy will be met.” Complacently accept IACUC secrecy. Don’t give a hoot about animal welfare on campus. Was that the University’s implicit message? On March St. 1988, President Paul Olum issued the following statement: “It seems clear to me that when the IACUC has a meeting of its members to review a research proposal in volving animal research pro tocols. or any other activity or condition over which the com mittee has action authority, that meeting is required by Oregon law to be an open meeting. "There is a possibility that during the meeting the commit tee may be involved in the con sideration of records that are ex empt by law from public inspec tion. and in such a case, the committee would presumably go into executive session. Even when an executive session is used, certain rules govern the convening of such an executive session and the taking of minutes in such a session, even though material discussed in those meetings might necessari 1 y be excluded from disclosure,” Olum wrote. Because the IACUC and rele vant Oregon law have not changed since November 1988, it seems clear to me that the University has some questions THE FAR SIDE By GARY LARSON "Bob and Ruth! Come on in .... Have you met Russell and Bill, our 1.5 children?" to answer. For instance, who does Moseley mean by "we” in his letter dated November 18. 1986? Did Moseley consult with Olum on the open meetings issue? Olum said Peter Swan, his assistant on legal affairs, ad vised him that the IAGUC is subject to the Oregon Public Meetings Act. The Moseley let ter. however, takes the opposite position on the issue. The letter is copied to Swan. Has Swan’s legal stance changed? If so, why? Does any of this have anything to do with Roger Troen and his trial? Make no mistake, the Univer sity deserves credit for opening 1ACUC meetings to the public. A step toward reform is better late than never. The 1ACIJC will soon schedule its first public meeting. 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