Committee on Classified Research

President Judith Rodin and Provost Robert Barchi have appointed a new blue ribbon Committee on Classified Research, chaired by Dr. Tom Lubensky, chair and professor of physics and astronomy in SAS. This group of senior faculty will review the University's policy on classified research in light of the many serious issues raised by the current national and international climate and by new Federal anti-terrorist legislation.

"The Patriot Act of 2001 and the Bioterrorism Act of 2002 have important implications not only for Penn's future research programs and policies, but for academic communities throughout the nation," said President Rodin. "We need to respond carefully to these new laws as we evaluate their consequences for our research enterprise."

Provost Barchi added that, "We expect the committee to examine our existing University policies and to advise us which policies should be reaffirmed, which policies might be revised or rewritten, and whether any new policies should be promulgated."

The Committee on Classified Research will consider the following questions:

• Should the University and its faculty be permitted to engage in classified research? Should such research be conducted on our campus or elsewhere?
• How should Penn respond to the challenges created by new Federal regulations regarding exclusion of researchers from participation in selected Federally-funded research projects because of nationality or other personal history or attributes?
• How should Penn respond to potential constraints on open communication of scholarly research in the name of national security?

Other members of the committee include Clyde Barker, professor of surgery, School of Medicine; Geoffrey Hazard, Trustee Professor of Law, Law School; Lynn Lees, professor of history, SAS; Peter Nowell, Gaylord P. Harnwell Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine; David Pope, professor of materials science and engineering, SEAS; and Olivia Mitchell, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans Professor of Insurance and Risk Management, Wharton. Wendy White, vice president and general counsel, Office of the General Counsel, will serve on the committee in an ex officio capacity.

The committee will work expeditiously in order to issue recommendations as quickly as possible.