This is copied directly from Indy Media at
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/11/14/18461232.php
"A First Look at the Finalized BP/Berkeley Deal
by Student Campaign to Stop BP at Berkeley ( info [at] stopBP-Berkeley.org )
Wednesday Nov 14th, 2007 6:05 PM
Details of the agreement between public university and giant oil corporation
In anticipation of public pressure, the University of California, Berkeley has published what it claims is the “full text of the Master Agreement” it has signed with the immense oil corporation BP today. This deal inaugurates a ten-year partnership between BP (formerly British Petroleum) and UC Berkeley, along with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, creating an Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) to develop marketable energy technologies based on genetic engineering technology.
While it remains to be seen whether this is in fact the complete agreement — the proposal that led to this deal was kept secret until it was leaked to the press, and then was published by the university in censored form, with large sections invisibly omitted — what is published is more than enough to confirm EBI opponents' fears.
The agreement text, released online at http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2007/11/14_ebisigning.shtml, does not include any mention of "the public interest" or "the public good". It does not even pay lip service to any sort of public accountability or transparency — except where it states that "No notice of any such [Governance Board] meetings [is] required." (p.6)
Under this agreement, UC Berkeley invites scientists and engineers who work solely for BP (formerly British Petroleum) to work in the new EBI building in Berkeley on secret, proprietary research for BP's eyes only. These researchers will have access to researchers working on publicly funded, open research, as well as the university researchers funded by the BP project. The agreement's text tells us that "[The Proprietary Component] shall be operated under the sole control and discretion of BP." (p. 4)
Professor Chris Somerville, who is being hired away from Stanford to head the institute, bypassing the normal tenure process, will "be familiar with certain BP Confidential Information ... to ensure that such plans are consistent with the commercial goals... of the Partners" (i.e. BP).
The Governance Board will have 4 members from BP and 4 members from the other institutions, and will approve the budget and overall direction. The Executive Committee (which will determine which projects are funded) will initially have 2 members from BP, 3 members from other institutions, and require a 2/3 majority (i.e. 4 out of 5 votes) to do anything. Any changes to this structure must be approved by the Governance Board. So BP has veto power at both levels, and can not be overridden.
There is one bright spot in the agreement, though: if Berkeley were to "reasonably determine that continued association with EBI was not in accord wth its fundamental principles, then ... within 180 days... Berkeley may terminate this Agreement... effective upon receipt."
http://stopBP-Berkeley.org"
A First Look at the Finalized BP/Berkeley Deal
The Chicago Sun Times Calls for Boycott of British Petroleum
(August 17th) The Chicago Sun Times has declared a boycott on British Petroleum, the company which runs the 4th largest refinery in the United States located in Whiting Indiana. (http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/514460,CST-EDT-edits17.article) (http://www.cjr.org/behind_the_news/suntimes_says_boycott_bp.php).
It is very exciting to see instances where activism actually works. From the time BP recieved the OK to increase the amount of waste, 54 percent more ammonia and 35 percent more suspended solids allowed into Lake Michigan each year, people have come together to voice their concerns. Now these efforts have paid off. By protesting on a community level and by working together with politicians, Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) and none other than Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, activists have halted the progress of one of the largest companies in the world. "The company is... the second largest of Big Oil's super-majors in terms of production (only Exxon Mobil is bigger), with huge untapped reserves stretching from Russia to West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico" according to CNNMoney.com.
Students United For Peace is delighted to hear this news as we continue to work with faculty, and students (http://stopbp-berkeley.org/) at UC Berkeley to keep BP off of our campus. Last spring the University announced it was working with British Petroleum to sign a 500 Million dollar deal. Rerun claimed he was waiting for his MDD (Million Dollar Deal) when he quit the TV series "Whats Happening!!". He should have got a job with UC Chancellor Birgeneau. There has been little information this summer about the deal, but you can be sure that if the contract is signed without 1) more community and faculty oversight, 2) and less money going to GMO corn research, there will definitely be more molasses appearing on the doorstep of California Hall.
You can read about the BP deal at...
http://www.dailycal.org/sharticle.php?id=23290
http://www.dailycal.org/sharticle.php?id=23176
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/03/31/BAGE5OV6G61.DTL&type=printable
Or drop Bobby (Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau) an email and tell him your thoughts (Pay for my textbooks, The only bio-fuel research on the Berkeley campus will be done by Willie Nelson)
200 California Hall # 1500
University of California
Berkeley, CA 94720-1500
Fax (510) 643-5499
chancellor@berkeley.edu
