Regents Move Ahead on Weapons Lab Contracts
The UC Board of Regents voted 13 to 3 Friday to begin negotiations for renewing federal contracts to run two nuclear weapons laboratories. The university system’s relationship with the Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos national laboratories has sparked strong opposition among faculty, students and peace activists.
The no votes were cast by Regent Yori Wada, alumni representative Martha Newkirk and student representative Jenny Doh. Lt. Gov. Leo T. McCarthy, an ex officio regent, spoke against the laboratory contracts but left before the vote, which was held at UCLA. Regent Yvonne Brathwaite Burke abstained.
Friday’s action allows university officials to begin talks with the U.S. Department of Energy on the renewal of the five-year contracts, which are set to expire in 1992. Also involved is the Lawrence Berkeley facility on the UC Berkeley campus, which performs federal research but no classified work.
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