Tom, we have no written policy, but our research foundation has divested itself
of all tobacco company stocks, and I would take that as precedent for a
strenuous resistance to participation in any project whatsoever sponsored by a
tobacco company.  My campus receives public agency funds for smoking cessation
projects in our state.  That, too, would seem to set up an ethical barrier to
taking tobacco company funds.

The hard part of this is the secondary question about the nature of
conglomerates.  My personal opinion is that the good folks from Kraft Foods had
very little choice in being gobbled up by Philip Morris when it happened.  But
that was then, and this is now.  Give me some evidence that the whole
corporation will not profit from our research and then maybe we can join forces,
but until that independence is shown, the answer has to be no.

Ruth and others,  the money that the tobacco companies lost in court is now the
people's money.  Yes, it came from the sale of tobacco, but it is penalty money
for doing so.  Yes, if you must see it that way, it is a laundry, but it is a
public laundry and specifically designed to remove the incentive for companies
that abuse the public trust.

Chuck,  we all appreciate your good comments here, and we also understand that
the Commonwealth is still a tobacco state and beset with enormous financial
difficulties.  The point is that the question was about tobacco, not religion or
any other kind of affiliation or association.  Tobacco is a known and serious
health hazard, tobacco companies seem not to care, and suggestions or
implications to the contrary would be more appropriate on the astrology
listserv.

Finally, I am really surprised at the ethical naivete of most of the respondants
to Tom's question.  The question was fairly put, discrete, and amenable to a
straighforward answer.  Tom did not ask for your theology or your maundering
estimates of the implications for the law.  These are matters of practice and,
in this case, the practice of suborning the activities of tobacco companies.

Jim Brett

"Herbert B. Chermside" wrote:

> 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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--
James R. Brett, Ph.D., Director,
Office of University Research
California State University, Long Beach
562-985-5314  562-985-8665 fax
http://www.csulb.edu/~research/

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