UC Faculty To Weapons Labs: Begone
Every decade or so, the University of California faculty has second thoughts about the school's relationship with the Department of Energy's weapons labs. So far, it hasn't made much difference - the university still manages the Los Alamos and Livermore national labs for DOE, as it has since the Korean War. But a recent rash of embarrassing environmental, legal, and ethical scandals at Livermore and other labs has added weight to a new faculty report recommending that the relationship be severed. In November an eight-person committee concluded two years of research with a call for UC to "phase out its responsibility" for the two labs. Faculty at several UC campuses are expected to vote this spring. That's also when UC president David Gardner's own advisory panel will weigh in with its views. In September the UC Board of Regents will vote on continuing the...

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