EcoGEOS > City takes £500000 from arms trade

The Inquirer[The Inquirer] Tim Street, coordinator of the universities network at Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), argued that students, especially in engineering departments, often feel under pressure to abandon ethical considerations. With the British government heavily subsidising arms companies there is often little choice but to “collaborate” with the military industry if you want a highly-paid engineering job.

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Metrix[Metrix] Protest at OU working with Raytheon arms dealers: This is part of the National Day of Action for University Ethical Investment - Coordinated events held at universities across the UK, in protest against university shareholding in arms companies. Anne Greagsby coordinator of the .

Nouse.co.uk[Nouse.co.uk] Arms Trade Report criticises York for taking on 59 Military Projects: Symon Hill, a spokesperson for CAAT, said: “it is appalling that the University of York allows arms companies this level of influence into what should be an independent academic establishment.” He said he believed “[York] students and staff will be horrified to discover the level of military involvement at UK universities.” David Garner, a spokesman for the University, rejected Hill’s assertion saying “We do not accept the assumption that any contact with the defence sector is reproachable. The University’s research in conjunction with defence companies or government departments does not involve weapons.” Garner went on to defend the University’s academic autonomy saying “Our research grants in this area operate in exactly the same way as any other research agreement- with academic independence and authority guaranteed.

... with voyeuristic intentionhttp://schlagen.livejournal.com/104234.html [... with voyeuristic intention] sexual nature/clean investment: CAAT argues that such disinvestment is merely a logical step for Universities, as investment is ”˜grossly inappropriate’ when the international bias of Universities today is concerned, both in terms of student numbers, but also of ever-broadening research and teachings. According to CAAT campaigner, Tim Street, this was particularly the case for SOAS as their ”˜investments funded a trade fuelling conflict zones across Africa and Asia, threatening its [SOAS’] reputation as a centre for internationalism and progress in these regions.’ Hypocrisy runs rife also in that many Student Unions up and down the country are vocal on subjects such as the War in Iraq, and the cancellation of Third World debt, and yet it is their money through their Universities which contributes to the ever-worsening problems, rather than alleviating them.

York Uni People & Planet Blog[York Uni People & Planet Blog] York Student’s Speak Out Against University’s Arms Trade ...: An ethical investment proposal will be presented to the university administration this week. With the support of the SU President and so many students we are confident that the campaign will be successful.

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