Efforts to Have the UC Decline Tobacco Industry Funding of Research

Timeline Updated March 27, 2008 [Download Detailed PDF]   2008   February 11              Office of the President sends UC Chancellors materials to facilitate implementation of RE-89. [PDF]   February 9                Los Angeles Times features a story on the UCLA Adolescent Smoking Cessation Center grant. [Article]   2007   October 10                UCLA releases a new copy of the Adolescent Smoking Cessation Center grant proposal along with correspondence between UCLA and Philip Morris. [UCLA grant] [Funding Agreement] [Exhibits] [Correspondence]    September 20          Regents adopt a revised version of RE-89. The Regents voted to continue accepting tobacco industry funding for scientific research but such funding will require more oversight. [PDF] [Agenda] [Minutes]   September 20           San Francisco Chronicle features a story on the redacted UCLA Adolescent Smoking Cessation Center grant. [Article]   September 14           UCLA releases the heavily redacted Adolescent Smoking Cessation Center grant proposal. A hardcopy of the document was received on September 17. [Grant Proposal]   August 30                  UCLA releases the contractual agreement between UCLA and Philip Morris USA to support research at the Adolescent Smoking Cessation Center.   August 28                  UCLA and the UC Office of the President were contacted by Regent Blum’s Office regarding disclosure of the Adolescent Smoking Cessation Center.   August 20                  Receive letter dated 8/15/07 from UCLA stating that the Adolescent Smoking Cessation Center grant was exempt from disclosure.   August 13                  Letter sent to Regents Blum and Moores regarding difficulties in receiving a copy of the Adolescent Smoking Cessation Center grant.   July 26                       Formal request sent to UCLA under the California Public Records Act for a copy of the Adolescent Smoking Cessation Center grant.   July 24                       Informal request made via phone to UCLA’s Office of Contracts and Grants for a copy of the Adolescent Smoking Cessation Center grant. The request was not met.   July 18                       UC Regents discuss RE-89. No action was taken on the proposed policy. The Regents are discussing a compromise to RE-89 with the Office of the President and the Academic Council. [PDF] [Agenda] [Minutes]   June 21                      The Sacramento News & Review features a cover story on tobacco industry funding at UC Davis. [Article]   May 17                       UC Regents vote to delay vote on RE-89. [PDF]   May 10                      Second informal request sent to UCLA for information on the five active Philip Morris grants at UCLA. No response from UCLA.   May 9                         Academic Assembly meeting. [PDF] Assembly members vote against RE-89 (restricting UC acceptance of funding from the tobacco industry). Vote results on Academic Council recommendation: 43 in favor, 4 opposed, and 3 abstentions. [PDF]   May 4                         Campaign to Defend Academic Integrity prints advertisement in Chronicle of Higher Education. [PDF]   May 3                         Letter sent to individual Regents by Campaign to Defend Academic Integrity regarding RE-89. [PDF]   May 2                         Email sent to the Principle Investigator of the UCLA Adolescent Smoking Cessation Center for information on the Center’s work. The request for information was responded to the next day (May 3).   May 1                         Informal request made to UCLA via phone and email requesting information about the five Philip Morris-funded grants at UCLA.

April 25                      The Academic Council resolved: “The Academic Council recommends that the Assembly oppose RE-89.”    April 13                      Responses and comments on RE-89 sent to the Academic Council from Senate committees and divisions. Systemwide Committee and Division Votes Coordinating Committee on Graduate Affairs University Committee on Academic Freedom University Committee on Education Policy University Committee on Faculty Welfare University Committee on Research Policy University Committee on Planning and Budget University Committee on Privilege and Tenure Academic Senate – Berkeley Division Academic Senate – Davis Division Academic Senate – Irvine Division Academic Senate – Los Angeles Division Academic Senate – Merced Division Academic Senate – Riverside Division Academic Senate – San Diego Division Academic Senate – San Francisco Division Academic Senate – Santa Barbara Division Academic Senate – Santa Cruz Division March 29                   Letter sent from Dean and Vice Chancellor David Kessler and former Director and Lead Counsel for the US Tobacco Litigation Team Sharon Eubanks to Chairman Blum regarding tobacco industry funding of research at UC. [PDF]   March 25                   Letter sent from Professor Glantz to Regent Moores in response to the Academic Council working group’s response to Regent Moores’ January letter to Chair Oakley. [PDF]   March 21                   Regent Moores writes an Op-Ed in the San Diego Union-Tribune regarding tobacco industry funding of research at UC. [PDF]   March 19                   Academic Senate Chair Oakley responds to Regent Moores with the Academic Council working group’s response. [PDF]   March 12                   The Academic Council’s working group sends their response to Regent Moores’ letter to Chair Oakley. [PDF]   February 28              Academic Council meeting.  Council creates a working group comprised of five members to respond to Regent Moores’ letter to Chair Oakley.   February 26              RE-89 sent out to System-Wide Senate Committee Chairs and Divisional Senate Chairs for review and comment. All comments are requested back to the Academic Council by April 13, 2007. [PDF]   February 14              The UC Academic Assembly discusses the Regents request for Senate action regarding RE-89. [PDF]   January 23                Letter from Regent Moores to Chair Oakley soliciting the Academic Senate’s input on a policy to decline tobacco industry funding for tobacco-related research. See page 45 of the following document: [PDF]   January 18                Action item RE-89 is heard by the Committee on Finance. Regent Hopkinson made a motion to send the item back to the Academic Senate for further consideration and revisit the proposed policy in May 2007. The motion passes with a 7 yes, 1 no vote. [PDF] 2006   December 21             Letter sent from the Campaign to Defend Academic Integrity to Provost Hume in response to his November 2, 2006 letter. [PDF]   December 18             Letter sent to the Campaign to Defend Academic Freedom by Regent Parsky in response to a fax sent to him on November 1, 2006. [PDF]   December                  Regent John Moores requests an action agenda item for the January 2007 Regents meeting.

November 27            Letter sent directly to Regent Richard Blum from Professor Glantz at Regent Blum’s request regarding tobacco industry funding of research at UC. [PDF]   November 16            Academic Senate Chair Oakley reports back to Board of Regents the three resolutions adopted by the Academic Assembly in October, 2006. [PDF]   November 6              Letter sent to UC Regents by the American Medical Association (via Office of the Secretary of the Regents).  [PDF]   November 2              Letter sent to the Campaign to Defend Academic Integrity from Provost Hume on behalf of President Dynes in response to the September letter sent to President Dynes. [PDF]   November 1              Letter sent to Regent Parsky by the Campaign to Defend Academic Integrity requesting his support on a policy to deny tobacco industry funding of research.  [PDF]   November 1              Chair John Oakley sends a letter with the Senate’s 3 statements to President Dynes asking him to transmit the letter to the Regents in time for distribution in connection with the oral report at the November meeting. [PDF]   October 17                 Letter sent to Attorney General Bill Lockyer from Regent Parsky.                                     October 12                Letter sent to UC Regents by the American Cancer Society National Office (via Office of the Secretary of the Regents).  [PDF]   October 11                 Academic Assembly meeting.  After an 85 minute debate, the Academic Assembly voted in favor of the Academic Council resolution by a 27 in favor and 16 against vote. At the end of the meeting, there was a 40 minute discussion on the issue that resulted in two additional statements. Both statements passed by a large majority. [PDF]      October 3                  Letter sent by Professor Glantz to fellow members of the Academic Assembly regarding tobacco industry funding of research.   September 29           Letter sent to UC Regents from California Attorney General Bill Lockyer (via Office of the Secretary of the Regents).  [PDF]   September 27           Academic Council meeting. Revised resolution on external research funding sources is adopted by a 12-5-1 vote. [PDF]   September 20           Issue heard by the Committee on Educational Policy (proposed by Regent Bustamante). After discussion, the item was sent back to the Academic Senate for discussion and recommendation to the Regents. [PDF]                September 19           673 Californians send letters to Lt. Governor Bustamante thanking him for taking the issue of tobacco industry funding of research to the Board of Regents. [PDF]   September 15           Letter sent to UC Regents (via Office of the Secretary of the Regents) by the American Heart Association Western States Affiliate. [PDF]   September 15           Letter sent to individual UC Regents from the American Cancer Society of California. [PDF]   September 13           Letter sent to individual Regents by Campaign to Defend Academic Integrity with information about the 9/20/06 agenda item proposed by Regent Bustamante. [PDF]                September 13           Letter sent to UC Regents by TEROC. [PDF]                        September 13           Email sent by Regent Bustamante’s Office to Acting Secretary Shaw and Mary Jane Alpaugh to distribute to the full Board of Regents. [PDF]             September 12           Letter sent to Regent Bustamante from UCSF Professor Glantz regarding tobacco industry funding of research.   [PDF]   September 7             Letter sent to UC Regents (via Office of the Secretary of the Regents) by Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights. [PDF]    August 25                 Letter sent to UC Regents (via Office of the Secretary of the Regents) from the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. [PDF]   August 24                  Campaign to Defend Academic Integrity website launched.                                                 www.academic-integrity.com   August 17                  US District Court Judge Gladys Kessler finds several tobacco companies guilty of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).                                                 Excerpts: [PDF]                                                 Complete Findings: [PDF]

August 10                  Regent Bustamante sends a letter to Acting Secretary of the Regents Anne Shaw requesting an agenda item for the September meeting. [PDF]   August                       Online petition supporting a policy to deny tobacco industry funding of research is launched. Petition    July 31                       Lt. Governor / Regent Bustamante commits to introducing the issue to the Regents at the September meeting.   May                            Meeting between the Campaign to Defend Academic Integrity and Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante’s office on the issue of tobacco industry funding of research.   April                           Letters sent by the Campaign to Defend Academic Integrity to individual Regents with information about the 2005 Assembly Resolution.                                                 Letter:  [PDF]                                                 Attachment:  [PDF]          2005   July 20                       Letter sent to UC Regents (via Office of the Secretary of the Regents) from Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights.  [PDF]   June 14                      Letter sent to UC Regents (via Office of the Secretary of the Regents) from the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids urging them to decline tobacco industry funding. [PDF]   May 11                       Academic Assembly adopts the revised Resolution on Restrictions on Research Funding Sources. [PDF]   March 31                   Academic Council adopts revised Resolution on Restrictions on Research Funding Sources that says only the Regents can adopt policies to decline funding based on source. [PDF]   March 14                   Letter sent to UC Regents from the American Cancer Society urging them to prevent the Academic Council from adopting their original Resolution on Restrictions on Research Funding Sources. [PDF]   January 10                UCSF Institute for Health Policy Studies adopts “no tobacco funding” policy.   2004   November 17            Academic Council resolution sent to Divisional Chairs and Senate-Wide Committee Chairs. [PDF]   November 15            Letter sent to Chair Blumenthal from the University Committee on Planning and Budget (UCPB) regarding the Council’s Resolution on Research Funding Sources. [PDF]   October 20                Academic Council meeting.                                      Council unanimously agreed that the Academic Council Resolutions on Restrictions on Research Funding Sources should be sent out for general review by the systemwide Senate Standing Committees and the Divisions. [PDF]   October 8                   President Dynes sends letter to the Regents endorsing the Academic Council Resolution on Restrictions on Research Funding Sources. [PDF]

October 4                  Letter to Academic Council Chair George Blumenthal from several UC faculty protesting adoption of the Academic Council Resolution on Restrictions on Research Funding Sources without proper Senate review.  [PDF]   August 23                  The Tobacco Education and Research Oversight Committee (TEROC) sends a letter to the UC Regents endorsing the UC Berkeley School of Public Health for adopting a policy denying tobacco industry funding for research. [PDF]   July 23                       Letter sent to President Robert Dynes from Academic Council Chair Lawrence Pitts regarding the Academic Council Resolution on Restrictions on Research Funding Sources. [PDF]   July 21                       Academic Council adopts the Academic Council Resolution on Restrictions on Research Funding Sources without following the usual policy of soliciting comments from the campus Senate divisions and other Systemwide Senate committees. [PDF]   July 9                         The University Committee on Research Policy (UCORP) releases a report entitled “Problematic Restrictive Clauses, Contracts, Grants and Gifts for research” which criticizes “no tobacco funding” policies. [PDF]   May 19                       UC Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Nursing adopts “no tobacco funding” policy.   May 14                       UC Berkeley School of Public Health adopts “no tobacco funding” policy after almost an entire year of deliberation.   March                         UCSD Cancer Center adopts “no tobacco funding” policy.   2003   December                  UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center adopts “no tobacco funding” policy.   July 23                       UCSF faculty Dr. Neil Benowitz and Dr. Stanton Glantz send letter to Vice Provost for Research Lawrence Coleman regarding tobacco industry funding of research. [PDF]   January 17                 UC San Diego (UCSD) Department of Family and Preventive Medicine adopts “no tobacco funding” policy.   2002   September 25           UCSF Town Hall meeting on tobacco industry funding of research. [PDF]   June 6                        UC San Francisco (UCSF) faculty send letter and petition to Chancellor Michael Bishop requesting he work to enact a policy at UCSF to deny tobacco industry funding.  [PDF]   2001   March 14                   The Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP) Scientific Advisory Committee passed a motion recommending that principal investigators who have current tobacco industry funding should be ineligible for TRDRP funding. This recommendation was overruled by the President of the University.   January                     UC Regents adopt policy to exclude securities of companies manufacturing tobacco products from index funds and to continue existing exclusions from actively managed funds. [PDF]

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