Posted on: Sunday, November 21, 2004
EDITORIAL
UH must be careful about secret research
The University of Hawai'i stands at a delicate point as it tries to decide whether it will pursue military research contracts that could be worth $50 million or more.
The UH Board of Regents has approved exploration of this new proposal to make the university one of only five Navy-associated high-tech research centers in the country.
The regents are moving slowly on this idea, and rightly so. The lure of the money is obvious. But offsetting the cash are fundamental questions about the role of a public university, particularly one that plays such a dominant role in the educational system of this state.
To accept the military money, UH would have to agree to keep some of its work secret, or classified. That's a given. What is the point of cutting-edge military research if it is freely shared with anyone who cares to know about it?
Today, the university uses a fig leaf of sorts. It insists that all research conducted on its campuses be publishable; that is, available to the public. But it allows classified research to take place off-campus on sites such as the Maui super-computer facility.
It is critical that UH not edge into this arena without confronting the basic question: How much money is it willing to accept to have professors and researchers doing work that is not available to the general academic community?
The university should be extremely careful about accepting such a deal. The very nature of academic research is that it contributes to an ever-growing body of knowledge that is shared by all who care to know about it.
Much of that research can contribute to our national security and prosperity, and — clearly — the University of Hawai'i has its share of credits on this front.
At a time when prestigious security institutions such as the Naval War College are moving toward greater transparency and openness, it makes little sense for the University of Hawai'i to go in the opposite direction.
There is much the great minds at UH can do to increase the security of our country without keeping their work secret.
