My favorite academic novel is Neal Stephenson’s Big U. Now Dissent alerts us to the fact that some of our alma mater has once again struck a deal worthy of this novel. We can read all about it in the San Francisco Chronicle, whose headline for the story is “BERKELEY – UC faculty critical of BP deal – Professors rail on lack of transparency, academic freedom.” My favorite quotations are these (writing by Rick DelVecchio):
1. Charles Schwartz, an emeritus professor of physics, said the Academic Senate should appoint a committee to oversee the deal.
Schwartz also challenged an earlier remark by Jay Keasling, a professor of bioengineering and chemical engineering and a key faculty supporter of the BP deal, that researchers can’t afford to fail on a project of such magnitude.
“What the hell kind of scientific attitude is that?” Schwartz asked.
2. [Robert] Reich [a professor of public policy and labor secretary under former President Bill Clinton] listed five challenges such arrangements pose for academic freedom. He noted that although standard safeguards are in place to protect the university’s academic integrity, the test is how well the safeguards perform in a deal of such a large scale.
How well they are managed with BP “will determine if this deal will be a huge feather in Berkeley’s cap or a huge noose around Berkeley’s neck,” he said.
3. [Beth] Burnside [vice chancellor for research and a professor of cell and developmental biology] said the deal came together at “warp speed” last fall.
The brave are putting up resistance, but the Administration knows they can get it if they really want, and its faith will lead it on.
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 