On May 11, the University of California (UC) announced an unprecedented partnership with Bechtel Corporation, BWXT Technlogies, and Washing International Inc. to jointly bid for the management of the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico. Not only does this arrangement poise the UC to continue to manage potential Armageddon during a dangerous new phase of US nuclear development, but it establishes an alarming new frontier in UC-corporate connections.

Dozens of students from across the UC system will converge at the UC Regents meeting at UC San Francisco Laurel Heights to speak out in opposition of the bid. After meeting at 9 a.m. outside of the Laurel Heights building, the students will command the floor during the Regents' public comment period at 10 a.m. At roughly 11:20, we will conduct a rally outside the conference building. Please join us in opposing the nuclearization and corporatization of the UC!

The UC has managed LANL since its inception over 60 years ago. However, after repeated security and financial mismanagement scandals, the US Department of Energy opened the management contract of LANL for competitive bid in 2003. UC’s contract to manage LANL expires on September 30. The Department of Energy (DoE) is expected to select the winner of the bidding competition over the summer.

It’s time to get UC out of the nuclear weapons business. Here are some other powerful ways to oppose the continued corporatization of UC and UC’s ongoing involvement in the design of nuclear weapons:

> Speak at the UC Board of Regents meeting on May 25th at UC San Francisco. Contact tara@trivalleycares.org (northern California) or wparrish@napf.org (southern California) for carpool information.

> If you are a student, make an announcement explaining the UC-Bechtel proposed partnership and the UC bid for the labs in your classes.

> Contact UC Student Regent Jodi Anderson at either (310) 206-4416 or janderson@conet.ucla.edu and share your concerns with her (see talking points below).

> If you are a student, sign the UC Student Statement opposing the bid. This statement is being signed by students and supported by faculty throughout the UC system. We will present the statement during the Regents meeting. To sign the statement or for more information, contact wparrish@napf.org.

> If you are a student, talk to your professors and instructors and ask them to sign and support the Student Statement. Faculty support will greatly enhance the strength of our efforts.

Talking Points:

> Management of the nation’s nuclear weapons laboratories contradicts the mission of the University. Spending billions of dollars to design a new generation of nuclear weapons does not serve the public good.

> The UC partnership with Bechtel, BWXT, and Washing International binds the university to industrial corporations that rely on the further militarization and nuclearization of our planet for their profit and power. Further, it expands the production and manufacturing capabilities at the Los Alamos site.

> UC should not be in bed with Bechtel, a notorious environmental and human rights abuser. For information on Bechtel, BWXT, and Washington International, see http://www.ucnuclearfree.org.

> By taking a principled stand and not bidding on LANL, UC would profoundly impact the national debate regarding current US nuclear priorities. The UC can take a leadership role in sending a clear message to policymakers in the US that rather than seeking to develop a new generation of nuclear weapons, seeking to resume nuclear testing and seeking the production of new plutonium pits, the US should lead the world in efforts to dismantle nuclear weapons and clean up the toxic legacy of the Nuclear Age.