honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 11:31 a.m., Thursday, February 16, 2006

McClain advises UH regents to proceed with UARC

By Loren Moreno
Advertiser Staff Writer

University of Hawai'i interim president David McClain recommended to the UH Board of Regents today that the university move forward on a proposed University Affiliated Research Center.

However, he recommended that the Navy-affiliated center be placed under the administrative control of the UH system, and not the UH-Manoa campus.

McClain said UH should proceed with the UARC only if no classified research is done in its first three years.

The UARC proposal has proved to be controversial.

McClain's recommendation follows a public meeting held on the Manoa campus last month where more than 100 faculty members and students gathered to voice opposition to the proposal to establish the U.S. Navy-affiliated research center.

Opponents argue that the UARC would threaten academic freedom and involve UH scientists in the development of military weapons.

Supporters, however, say the proposal has been misunderstood and claim the military research center would draw millions of dollars in research grants over the next five years and bring prestige to the university.

It is ultimately the decision of the UH Board of Regents to approve or reject the center. If approved, UH would become the fifth university in the nation to be designated a Navy UARC.