Is UC a better choice for managing weapons labs than a defense contractor?
Common characterizations of universities claim transparency and accountability levels higher than corporations as well as less profit motive and lobbying activities. However, UC is not better than a defense contractor. As an institution that provides weapons developers with the smokescreen of academic integrity and the cheap labor of thousands of students, UC is a defense contractor bound by terms that the Department of Energy sets. These terms would be the same for any institution performing the work. Furthermore, one proposal being considered involves a partnership between the university and a defense company within which UC would focus on the scientific and research aspects of the national laboratories and the corporate entity which manage the finances and security. Such an arrangement would further blur the lines between UC and corporations.
