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EDITOR IN CHIEF
Sarah Kickler
EDITORIAL EDITOR
Mike Schmierbach
NIGHT EDITOR
Holly Sanders
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Students and scientists
alike should question
University contracts
with the U.S. military
It doesn’t get the high-profile
protests that the Nike dona
tion has, though the grant
money it brings in amounts
to 5 percent of total University
grants. Indeed, the researchers
here are at the top of their field,
but it seems no one knows the lab
is there at all.
It’s the Computational Intelli
gence Research Lab, where some
OPINION
Jeff
Shaw
ot tne best artih
cial intelligence
minds in the
world do re
search for the
U.S. military.
For all the con
troversy about
the Riverfront
Research Park,
CIRL seems to
have escaped
notice, though it is currently
working on a $2.7 million project
developing, planning and sched
uling technologies for the Defense
Department.
It's surprising that, in a com
munity so concerned with mili
tarism, accepting this type of
grant should come without over
sight. It is time for the University
community to open a dialogue
about the
contracts
and
grants we
accept.
And if the
applica
tions those
grants
threaten to
create can’t
stand up to
scrutiny, that
tells us something
in itself.
When told about
CIRL’s work, many stu
r r*
dents express shock. It does
n’t seem that there should be any
place for military research on the
U of O campus. Isn’t that why we
have military bases?” Student
Senator Michael Olson said.
"We definitely need to consid
er the implications of any re
search being done at the Universi
ty. I don’t see how military
research contributes to the acade
mic development of students at
the U of O. I don’t see how that
fits into our mission statement.”
For Matt Ginsberg, founder and
director of CLRL, it’s about a com
mitment to science. “The reason I
have no problem taking military
money is because they let me do
the science,” Ginsberg told me.
And though they look for work
with “attractive peacetime appli
cations,” they have no problem
taking the readily available mili
tary
contracts.
Indeed, one reason CTRL ac
cepts Defense Department back
ing is because military grants are
far easier to come by than other
sources. “The federal govern
ment, because they have this mil
itary motivation behind it, is far
much more able to provide re
search funding than, say, Federal
Express would be,” said David
Etherington, current director of
CIRL.
Other universities are suc
cumbing to the militarization of
academia as well. Today, the De
fense Department provides 71
percent of federal research funds
toward computer science, a 26
percent increase over the last two
decades. As public funding for
universi
ties
wanes,
institu
tions
reach out
for lucra
tive De
fense De
partment
contracts.
But if any
thing, this
should encourage
universities who
cherish peace to resist
the rising tide. Do we real
ly want to be like USC, whose
Information Sciences Institute re
searches attack helicopters? Or
Carnegie Mellon, where a robot
driven tank is under develop
ment?
Students I spoke with said it
makes them uncomfortable to
know this university does mili
tary work. It should — ultimately,
we are responsible for what goes
on in our communities. Democra
cy is all about ordinary people
speaking up when questionable
activities surround them.
And don’t scientists, too, have
an obligation to consider who
their benefactors are, and how
those benefactors might use their
work? In Ginsberg’s view, not
necessarily: “We provide technol
ogy. And yes, we care how tech
nology is used; yes, we want peo
ple to know that it can be used for
good or ill... but fundamentally,
that's not our decision to make.
And when we decided to become
scientists, we were at some level
agreeing to give that up. We do
the work, and it’s up to society to
apply it sensibly.”
This rationale sounds too much
like science without a social con
science. Knowledge, once at
tained, doesn’t evaporate. The re
ality is that CTRL discoveries will
either be used for good or they
will not; two things can happen
to push matters in the right direc
tion.
If Ginsberg is right, it falls to
citizens to direct research toward
life-affirming ends. We at the Uni
versity can’t do that without
knowledge of and power over
University contracts and grants.
The University should establish a
student board to oversee grant ac
ceptance. Besides helping to stop
the advance of corporate control,
it just might make the whole sys
tem more open and democratic.
Next, the CIRL team should
recognize that nothing happens
devoid of social context. Grants
from the military are not free gifts,
and they could carry a weighty
moral price. CIRL should look
elsewhere for backing.
Jeff Shaw is a columnistfor the
Emerald. His work appears on alter
nate Wednesdays. His views do not
necessarily represent those of the
newspaper.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
1
Enough already
This is an open letter to any and all
members of OSPIRG involved in this
year’s biannual campaign: We know
you’re up for renewal. We know you want
our vote, but enough already! For a group
supposedly devoted to environmental is
sues, you seem to use about four times as
much paper on campus as any other
group. Posters, sometimes three to a bul
letin board: cards and fliers on every sin
gle conceivable flat surface in every build
ing; letters to the Emerald nearly every day
(what, do you assign them to your mem
bers?); sandwich boards on many comers;
etc. 1 believe a truly environmentally re
sponsible organization would cease and
desist these wasteful tactics. You’ve defi
nitely lost my vote — because of your hyp
ocritical behavior.
Oayna Terry
English
Yes on 1,6
There are two ballot measures before the
student body this year that I hope pass by
large margins: Question 1, for continued
OSPIRG funding, and Question 6, for the
elevator that will provide wheelchair ac
cess to the International Lounge, the ODE
and the EMU Art Gallery.
First, Question 6: a major portion of the
EMU has been off-limits to students in
wheelchairs and construction of an eleva
tor is needed to remedy this. Remodeling
the EMU has drained reserves to the point
that, unless students pitch in, there simply
won’t be enough money to build one. The
ASUO has shown strong support for this
project by committing about $200,000 to
ward the elevator construction. Please add
your support! Vote yes on Question 6.
On Question 1:1 have valued OSPIRG’s
advocacy for the individual and the down
trodden, as well as its watchdog attitude
toward big business “attacks” on the envi
ronment. Watchdogs are not popular with
thieves and robbers. Please vote yes on
Question 1. Say no to the influx of off-cam
pus, big-business money aimed at defeat
ing this measure and closing down OS
PIRG. OSP1RG is on the enemy list of big
business and out-of-state interests in Ore
gon; don’t let them fool you — it’s not for
YOUR good! Vote YES on 1!
Jim Long
Chemistry Instructor
Vote for ‘fresh face’
All things in life move in cycles. If any
one thing remains stagnant, it is bound to
go bad. The ASUO is no exception to this
rule. New people need to constantly circu
late through the student government in or
der to ensure the full representation of the
students and their changing needs. Jessica
Timpany is the “fresh face” that the Stu
dent Senate and the EMU board long for.
She comes to the ballot with proven new
and enthusiastic energy to be involved and
to represent the students.
As the visibility coordinator for the
ASUO Executive office, Jessica has the ex
perience of working with all branches of
our government. Her newness to the
ASUO gives her the ability to look at the is
sues at hand with unbiased and uncor
rupted eyes. Most important, Jessica has
the gall to question the present workings
of our ASUO system and the passion to
better it. Jessica Timpany is not running
for office to pad her rgsumd or to climb the
political ladder. She is doing this simply
because in some twisted and funky way,
she really enjoys it. Jessica is doing this be
cause protecting student programs, stu
dent control the incidental fees and fight
ing the students’ fights excites her.
Jessica Timpany is coming to the ballot
as a real student who is in touch with the
wants, needs and concerns of the student
body. Jessica is the true voice of the stu
dents, as was proven by her victory in the
primary elections. Elect Jessica Timpany
to EMU board finance senator seat no. 5
one more time!
Ben Unger
ASUO Vice President
F
CORRECTION
In the story “Prospective CPAs will need
to take five-year program in 2000" (ODE
April 20), the local accounting firm should
have been named as Jones and Roth PC.
The Emerald regrets the error.
LETTERS POLICY
The Emerald accepts letters from mem
bers of the University and Eugene commu
nity, preferably under 400 words. Shorter
letters will receive higher priority. Op-ed
pieces will only be printed, at the discretion
of the editor, if they are written by an au
thority about a pertinent issue. Letters can
be submitted in person at EMU Suite 300,
mailed to P.0. Box 3159, Eugene, OR,
97403, or e-mailed to ode@oregon.uore
gon.edu. Please include your full name and
telephone number for confirmation. The
Emerald reserves the right to edit for length
or style.