January 5, 1999
CHANCELLORS
LABORATORY DIRECTORS
ACADEMIC COUNCIL CHAIR WEISS
Dear Colleagues:
Last February I reported to you about a plan for improving the University's relationships with industry that
came out of the University's Retreat on Relationships with Industry and Technology Transfer held in Los Angeles
in early 1997. I am writing now to inform you about two areas in which we have made significant progress. These
areas are covered in detail in the attached report.
We have developed a proposed Policy on Granting Rights to Future Research Results Arising from University Relationships
with Extramural Parties and a related proposed approach to an administrative and authority structure. This proposal
was developed with campus consultation and review by the Technology Transfer Advisory Committee and the Council
of Vice Chancellors for Research, and was issued by Senior Vice President Kennedy for review to the campuses, DOE
Laboratories, and the Academic Council on October 1, 1998.
We are also looking carefully at our approach to conflict of interest and conflict of commitment issues. An Administrative
Task Force was appointed in the spring of 1998 to assess whether current University policies are clear and sufficient
to guide faculty, staff, and administrators in making decisions to achieve the appropriate balance between University
and outside activities, and to ensure that there is suitable delineation of private interest and University obligations.
The Task Force issued its first report in 1998 and is expected to deliver a second report covering additional issues
later this month. Progress on several other retreat follow-up actions is discussed in the attached report.
UC's relationships with industry continue to be an essential aspect of both our intellectual endeavor and our research
funding base. We are particularly pleased that this year's State budget recognizes the importance of the University's
cooperative research with industry and its role in providing a skilled workforce in support of the State's economy.
As you know, the University received a $7 million increase for the Industry-University Cooperative Research Program.
The program will receive a total of $15 million in State and University funds for UC research partnerships with
private industry in fields critical to the state's economy. Private sector contributions remain a key component
of the program's funding.
Additionally, the governor and legislature appropriated $6 million in the current budget to increase the number
of engineering and computer science faculty at UC. The appropriation allows UC to augment its engineering enrollments
by some 800 students, the first step in a plan to increase enrollment of these students 40 percent by 2005.
I will appreciate your informing faculty and staff at your campuses and laboratories about the activities and changes
summarized in the attached report. Although much has been accomplished, this will be neither a short nor a simple
process, as we continue to consult broadly within the UC community about our relationships with industry. As a
reminder, the 1997 Retreat Proceedings and progress reports on recommendations coming from the Retreat are available
on the Office of Technology Transfer Website at http://www.ucop.edu/ott/.
Sincerely,
Richard C. Atkinson
President
Attachment: Progress Report - January 1999 Priority Action Items Arising from the 1997
Retreat
cc: Members, President's Cabinet
Technology Transfer Advisory Committee
Executive Director Feuerborn
Special Assistant Gardner
Principal Officers of The Regents