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We, The Students: UC Students Rise Up to Oppose UC-Bechtel!
Dozens of students from across the UC system will converge at the UC Regents meeting at UC San Francisco Laurel Heights to speak out in opposition to the UC's join bid with Bechtel for management of the nation's nuclear weapons labs. After meeting at 9 a.m. outside of the Laurel Heights building, the students will command the floor during the Regents' public comment period at 10 a.m. At roughly 11:20, we will conduct a rally outside the conference building. Please join us in opposing the nuclearization and corporatization of the UC!
On May 11, the University of California (UC) announced an unprecedented partnership with Bechtel Corporation, BWXT Technlogies, and Washing International Inc. to jointly bid for the management of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico. Not only does this arrangement poise the UC to continue to manage potential Armageddon during a dangerous new phase of US nuclear development, but it establishes an alarming new frontier in UC-corporate connections.
Dozens of students from across the UC system will converge at the UC Regents meeting at UC San Francisco Laurel Heights to speak out in opposition of the bid. After meeting at 9 a.m. outside of the Laurel Heights building, the students will command the floor during the Regents' public comment period at 10 a.m. At roughly 11:20, we will conduct a rally outside the conference building. Please join us in opposing the nuclearization and corporatization of the UC!
The UC has managed LANL since its inception over 60 years ago. However, after repeated security and financial mismanagement scandals, the US Department of Energy opened the management contract of LANL for competitive bid in 2003. UC’s contract to manage LANL expires on September 30. The Department of Energy (DoE) is expected to select the winner of the bidding competition over the summer.
It’s time to get UC out of the nuclear weapons business. Here are some other powerful ways to oppose the continued corporatization of UC and UC’s ongoing involvement in the design of nuclear weapons:
> Speak at the UC Board of Regents meeting on May 25th at UC San Francisco. Contact tara [at] trivalleycares.org (northern California) or wparrish [at] napf.org (southern California) for carpool information.
> If you are a student, make an announcement explaining the UC-Bechtel proposed partnership and the UC bid for the labs in your classes.
> Contact UC Student Regent Jodi Anderson at either (310) 206-4416 or janderson [at] conet.ucla.edu and share your concerns with her (see talking points below).
> If you are a student, sign the UC Student Statement opposing the bid. This statement is being signed by students and supported by faculty throughout the UC system. We will present the statement during the Regents meeting. To sign the statement or for more information, contact wparrish [at] napf.org.
> If you are a student, talk to your professors and instructors and ask them to sign and support the Student Statement. Faculty support will greatly enhance the strength of our efforts.
Talking Points:
> Management of the nation’s nuclear weapons laboratories contradicts the mission of the University. Spending billions of dollars to design a new generation of nuclear weapons does not serve the public good.
> The UC partnership with Bechtel, BWXT, and Washing International binds the university to industrial corporations that rely on the further militarization and nuclearization of our planet for their profit and power. Further, it expands the production and manufacturing capabilities at the Los Alamos site.
> UC should not be in bed with Bechtel, a notorious environmental and human rights abuser. For information on Bechtel, BWXT, and Washington International, see http://www.ucnuclearfree.org.
> By taking a principled stand and not bidding on LANL, UC would profoundly impact the national debate regarding current US nuclear priorities. The UC can take a leadership role in sending a clear message to policymakers in the US that rather than seeking to develop a new generation of nuclear weapons, seeking to resume nuclear testing and seeking the production of new plutonium pits, the US should lead the world in efforts to dismantle nuclear weapons and clean up the toxic legacy of the Nuclear Age.
Dozens of students from across the UC system will converge at the UC Regents meeting at UC San Francisco Laurel Heights to speak out in opposition of the bid. After meeting at 9 a.m. outside of the Laurel Heights building, the students will command the floor during the Regents' public comment period at 10 a.m. At roughly 11:20, we will conduct a rally outside the conference building. Please join us in opposing the nuclearization and corporatization of the UC!
The UC has managed LANL since its inception over 60 years ago. However, after repeated security and financial mismanagement scandals, the US Department of Energy opened the management contract of LANL for competitive bid in 2003. UC’s contract to manage LANL expires on September 30. The Department of Energy (DoE) is expected to select the winner of the bidding competition over the summer.
It’s time to get UC out of the nuclear weapons business. Here are some other powerful ways to oppose the continued corporatization of UC and UC’s ongoing involvement in the design of nuclear weapons:
> Speak at the UC Board of Regents meeting on May 25th at UC San Francisco. Contact tara [at] trivalleycares.org (northern California) or wparrish [at] napf.org (southern California) for carpool information.
> If you are a student, make an announcement explaining the UC-Bechtel proposed partnership and the UC bid for the labs in your classes.
> Contact UC Student Regent Jodi Anderson at either (310) 206-4416 or janderson [at] conet.ucla.edu and share your concerns with her (see talking points below).
> If you are a student, sign the UC Student Statement opposing the bid. This statement is being signed by students and supported by faculty throughout the UC system. We will present the statement during the Regents meeting. To sign the statement or for more information, contact wparrish [at] napf.org.
> If you are a student, talk to your professors and instructors and ask them to sign and support the Student Statement. Faculty support will greatly enhance the strength of our efforts.
Talking Points:
> Management of the nation’s nuclear weapons laboratories contradicts the mission of the University. Spending billions of dollars to design a new generation of nuclear weapons does not serve the public good.
> The UC partnership with Bechtel, BWXT, and Washing International binds the university to industrial corporations that rely on the further militarization and nuclearization of our planet for their profit and power. Further, it expands the production and manufacturing capabilities at the Los Alamos site.
> UC should not be in bed with Bechtel, a notorious environmental and human rights abuser. For information on Bechtel, BWXT, and Washington International, see http://www.ucnuclearfree.org.
> By taking a principled stand and not bidding on LANL, UC would profoundly impact the national debate regarding current US nuclear priorities. The UC can take a leadership role in sending a clear message to policymakers in the US that rather than seeking to develop a new generation of nuclear weapons, seeking to resume nuclear testing and seeking the production of new plutonium pits, the US should lead the world in efforts to dismantle nuclear weapons and clean up the toxic legacy of the Nuclear Age.
For more information:
http://www.ucnuclearfree.org
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oh my god, that picture of darwin is from ages ago!!
This has nothing to do with UC students. They're here a few years then move on. This is a national issue. UC is a major research institution and has managed these labs for 60 years. These matters will be decided by adults. Go tend to your puppets.
Won't ever finish a debate or discussion, just runs away---better to ignore him.
I'm right here. Got a problem with what I said, then say so. I see no reason to argue factual statements. Read what I said. This decision has nothing to do with students. It's an institutional decision regarding national security and defense.
I'm still wating for you to finish the needle exhange debate
"UC is a major research institution and has managed these labs for 60 years"
What exactly is UC's role in terms of managing the labs? In terms of Los Alamos the need to have a univeristy run what is a DOD lab seems strange and mainly just a historical legacy of the labs creation when UC ownership provided a front for a secret facility. LBNL was created to support the increasing space needed for Lawrance's projects on the UCB campus but LLNL is the most confusing when it comes to why it is conrolled by UC? Does anyone know why there is a relationship between the UC system and LLNL; its not like there is much/any crossover of researchers between the Universities and LLNL like there is between LBNL and UCB...
It makes sense that the DOE doesnt have enough employees to provide building services for their labs but why is state controlled Unvisersity system used to run federal labs? Its not because of similar research on campuses since UC isnt tied to the research at the labs since UC just maintains the facilities and doesnt actually controll much of what goes on inside of them.
What exactly is UC's role in terms of managing the labs? In terms of Los Alamos the need to have a univeristy run what is a DOD lab seems strange and mainly just a historical legacy of the labs creation when UC ownership provided a front for a secret facility. LBNL was created to support the increasing space needed for Lawrance's projects on the UCB campus but LLNL is the most confusing when it comes to why it is conrolled by UC? Does anyone know why there is a relationship between the UC system and LLNL; its not like there is much/any crossover of researchers between the Universities and LLNL like there is between LBNL and UCB...
It makes sense that the DOE doesnt have enough employees to provide building services for their labs but why is state controlled Unvisersity system used to run federal labs? Its not because of similar research on campuses since UC isnt tied to the research at the labs since UC just maintains the facilities and doesnt actually controll much of what goes on inside of them.
There is nothing to debate in needle exchange. I gave my position. I assume you have yours. That's it, really. As to UC and the labs - why do you find it strange that a major educational institution with huge research programs in the sciences would want to run national energy and defense research labs? They are a natural fit for each other. Also, UC ran the labs from the day they were built, both in CA and in NM. The physics dept at Berkeley, along with Chicago, was the major founder of the Manhattan Project during WW2. This is all basic history and you should know this stuff if you want to discuss this issue. UC runs the labs because they have the research and management skills to do it. They could just as easily be run by the University of Texas or Lockheed - and indeed that may be the case next year if UC doesnt' win the contract. The opposition to UC's involvement with the lab is based entirely on "anti-war" feelings among some members of the faculty and students. As I've said before, the students are irrelevant to this issue. They are temporary players here and will leave after a few years. The anti-war faculty can make their point in the appropriate venue. You will also find that the vast majority of the anti-war faculty are in disciplines that have absolutely nothing to do with science.
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