No such policy

My personal opinion only:  It is not appropriate for an institution to
restrict the areas of research NOR the nature of sponsors, beyond
restrictions externally imposed.  I think it proper to forego funding from
some sponsors who attempt to impose their social agendas through their
compliance restrictions.

Suppose some sponsors refused to support those who received support from
Muslims, or Jews, or Christians....

University MUST take all steps possible to remain objective and impartial.

Chuck

At 12:26 PM 10/8/2002 -0400, you wrote:
>Good Afternoon,
>
>At Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, we are in the very
>early stages of investigating the appropriateness of developing a policy
>which would prohibit investigators from obtaining support from tobacco
>companies or tobacco-related organizations. I'm interested in hearing what
>other institutions have done or are contemplating. Until recently, none of
>our investigators have ever expressed an interest in tobacco funding. Now
>we've become aware that some funding agencies (non-tobacco sponsors) are
>beginning to restrict applicant eligibility to those institutions that HAVE
>NOT accepted funding from the tobacco industry. Please note, BGSU does not
>include a medical school, but we have a number of life science/social
>behavioral units that conduct research in biomedical areas.
>
>I'd be interested in knowing:
>
>1. Does your institution have a policy prohibiting the acceptance of
>tobacco industry funding? If so, can you direct me to a copy? Is there a
>formal review process/review board?
>
>2. If you are a state institution, was the implementation or decision to
>draft such a policy driven by state initiatives and/or tobacco settlement
>funds allocated for research (or other funds to higher education)?
>
>3. Do such policies fall under your compliance office, office of
>development, sponsored research office, or elsewhere?
>
>4. Companies such as Philip Morris are huge multi-national entities. Does
>an institutional policy prohibit funding from ALL subsidiaries and brands
>of such a company--Kraft, Maxwell House, Post, etc.--or just the Philip
>Morris External Research Program, for example?
>
>5. Research in one area can often lead to scientific breakthroughs in
>others. Was there any discussion about how such a policy might adversely
>impact academic freedom? If so, how was this issue addressed?
>
>6. The tobacco industry would appear to present a fairly clear and direct
>scenario wherein in the continued use of the product can result in ill
>health or even death; and there seems to be a perception that research
>support from such an industry would only support that industry's best
>interests. From the perspective of your own institutions, do such policies
>lead elsewhere? For example, while alcohol abuse is not the inevitable
>result of moderate drinking, binge drinking is a concern across many
>campuses; yet academic researchers receive funding from sources such as the
>Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation, established by the malt
>beverage industries of the US and Canada. Do any of your institutions have
>policies governing funding from other industry sectors which could involve
>thorny moral issues?
>
>...any other insights would be most appreciated.
>
>Thanks in advance.
>
>Tom
>
>Tom Kornacki
>Associate Director
>Office of Sponsored Programs and Research
>Bowling Green State University
>106 University Hall
>Bowling Green, Ohio 43403
>419-372-2481; 419-372-0304 (fax)
>xxxxxx@bgnet.bgsu.edu
>http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/spar
>
>
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Herbert B. Chermside, CRA
Director, Sponsored Programs Administration
Virginia Commonwealth University
PO BOX 980568
Richmond, VA  23298-0568
Express Delivery Only:
 Sanger Hall, Rm. 1-032A
 11th & Marshall Streets
 Richmond, VA  23219
Voice:  804-828-6772
Fax     804-828-2521
OFFICE e-mail   xxxxxx@VCU.EDU
Personal e-mail xxxxxx@vcu.edu
http://views.vcu.edu/ospa/
VCU will close its faculty and staff offices, including this one,  from
December 21, 2002 through January 5, 2003.

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