gust 27, 1968 THE MICHIGAN DAILY

Page

Research

I

U has a miss

by STEVE WILDSTROM
Managing Editor
The University's research activ-
ities have'given it both the title
"research capital of the Midwest"
and "the Eyes of the Army.""
Military research, more than ten
per cent of total research activ-
ity, has wor the University praise
from the 'Defense Department
and damnation from many of its
students and faculty.
The largest unit in the Univer-
sity's research machine is the In-
stitute of Science and Technology
4' (IST). Last year, the University
received more research dollars
than any other institution in the
country and a large part of those
funds went to support IST pro-
jects. Headquartered in a striking
modern building on North Cam-
pus, IST's diverse activities spread
I around the world.
Willow Run Laboratory (WRL)
is the largest component of IST.
Located in a surplus Nike missile
base on the east edge of Willow
Run Airport in Ypsilanti, WRL

The most far-flung-and con-
troversial-of WRL's projects has
been a $1 million classified con-
tract to teach counterinsurgency
I' techniques to members of the Roy-
~,. al Thai military. WRL researchers
}"have 'worked with members of the
Royal Thai Air Force and Army
a and helped them set up a Joint
Thailand-U.S. Aerial Reconnais-
sance Laboratory in the Thai ca-
pital of Bankok.
University researchers say the
function of the program has been
to train the Thais in sophisticated
modern means of electronic sur-
veillance in an effort to find
"clandestine communist guerilla
activity."
Through one IST project the
University, as far as is known, be-
came the only educational insti-
tution in the country to have a
ballistic missile named after it,
ile namesake the now-defunct BOMAC (Boeing
Michigan Aeronautical Research
specializes in the technology of Center).
remote sensing techniques. Much This winter, WRL researchers
of WRL's work is classified con- traveled to Antarctica to apply in-
tract research for the Defense De- frared remote sensing techniques,
partment. very likely developed in a military
research project, to study the
Over the past 13 years, the A- structure of the south polar ice
my has spent more than $70 mil- cap. Similar work has been done
lion on Project MICHIGAN, whose in the past on the north polar; and
purpose, as described by its former Greenland ice caps.
director, is to "build better spec- WRL and IST are involved in
tacles for the Army." Project MI- a number of operations designed
CHIGAN has worked to develop to disseminate the knowledge they
new means of battlefield surveil- have picked up. Of course, the dis-
lance, using radar, infrared ,and mikei u Of orsthe is-
semination of information gained
optical methods. on classified research contracts is
Several years ago, the Defense limited to those both possessing a
Department's Advanced Research security clearance and what the
Projects Agency (ARPA) turned to Defense Department calls "a need
University researchers at IST to to know". Two such conferences
build and operate a $4.5 million conducted each year are symposia
infrared observatory on Mt. Hale- on radar technology and remote
ak4la on Maui, Hawaii. Although sensing of the environment. Por-
WRL officials say the observatory tions of the second conference are
will be used for academic as well open to anyone in the academic
as military purposes, one WRL community with an interest in at-
researcher says, "Everyone knows tending.
it's there to track ICBMs and sat- WRL also operates for ARPA
telites," two national information clearing

houses, the Ballistic Missile Radia-
tion Information Center, which
deals with information pertaining
to the tracking of and defense
against, intercontinental ballistic
missiles, and the Infrared Infor-
mation and Analysis Center, which'
informs researchers of the latest
states of technology in infrared
research.
Although it is the most specta-
cular--and controversial-facet of
University research, WRL and
other militarily oriented portions
of IST represent a relatively 'mall
part of the University's total re-
search effort.
Nevertheless, these classified re-
search efforts last fall became the
center of a brief but heated con-
troversy. Following a comprehen-
sive report by The Daily on the
extent of "Military Researcn at
Michigan," some pressure was ex-
erted on the administration for a
change in research policy.
The 250 students that sat in at
the administration building in
early November were more con-
cerned about the University's cli-
mination of certain projects than
its Institute for Defense An-
alysis (IDA)-but this remained
a controversial area.
Although student and faculty
demonstrators came to the sit-in
without a clear consensus on just
what the protest was about, many
of the University's research pro-
jects were questioned as well as
its membership in the now defunct
IDA.
IDA was formed in 1956 in res-
ponse to rapid growth of defense
department sponsored research.
Organized as a consortium of the
member universities, IDA describes
itself as a non-profit corporation
to provide the Department of De-
fense with scientific studies in na-
tional security.
While military research at the
University itself is concerned al-
most entirely with defensive mea-
sures and detection, IDA works in
all phases of warfare.
The more radical members of1
the sit-in demanded an immediate
end to all classified contracts and

roubledA
When the formal report of the
Assembly Research Policies Corn-
mittee chaired by Prof. Robert E #-,;f
derfield of the chemistry depart-
meet was released in January, it
recommended:
a The University should not take
any classified contract that pre-
vents disclosure of the "exis-
tence of the contract or identity
of the sponsor . .. and the pier
pose and scope of the research
A nine-member faculty panel
should be established to review
proposed classified worik. How
ever, the Vice President for Re-
search should have authority to
"over-rulethe committee".
t The University should lead in
establishing an inter-university
committee to "work toward 2e-
duction of federal restrictions on
publication and dissemination"
of the results of classified ork. .': z ........:..:
d" The University should not take
any contract "the purpose of
which is to destroy human life
or to' incapacitate human be-
ings."
The committee's recommenda-
tions directly affected only one ex-
isting University contract: Project
1111, a $261,192 project in Thai-
land sponsored by a "very sensi-
tive agency in Washington."
With no substantive changes in
classified research forthcoming,
Student Government Council put, - -
the question "should classified re-
search at the University be con- ~
tinued?" to an all-student refer-
endum.
The very broadly. worded ques-
tion was defeated leaving those
who were still concerned aboutthe
University's classified research in

1ST houses many secrets
S- i-

" b a 0o, f
Ein s astion o conservatism

crumbles in
By MARCIA ABRAMSON
Sometimes criticized as a bastio
servatism, the College of Enginee
year presents one of the most Ii
programs in the University..
Freshmen engineers will be the,
feel the new emphasis on social
and humanities and will be able
plete their degree in a shorter ti
Engineering students with more
hours credit will be able to take a
3f a pass-fail program more libe
the one offered by the literary c
The new program allows degree
tion in eight instead of 8%/ to ni
reducing the number of credit h
quired from 138 to 128 by elimint
:iuired free electives.
Overall requirements in human
social sciences have been raised tc
solute minimum of 24 hours and
gested minimum of 28 hours.
Traditional engineering con
.ourses have been replaced by a gre
sequence. Courses in advanced En
erature are part of the recommen
ricula.
Freshmen will also be required
a new four hour course in digital
ing and rigid body mechanics. C
graphics replaces Engineering Grat
as a requirement.
The chemistry requirement has
from eight hours to four. High scho
istry is the prerequisite.
Physics classes have been giver
modern approach.
Engineering classes have beer
fied to provide a group of core c
materials, thermodynamics, parti
rigid body mechanics, fluid mechan
mechanics and electrical engineex
ence.
The pass-fail program, recently
by the college's faculty, will app
three year trial period, subject t
review.

student review powers over all
Sotherresearch projects. Others
re were willing to settle for just an
end to classified projects and a
tri-partite review of research pol-
icy.
Courses available under pass-fail include: Still others were concerned only
n of con- * All elective classes in humanities and with counter-insurgency the Thai-
ring this social science except for those included in land project itself.
iberalized the uniform 12 hour English requirement. Norm of the demonstrators got
All free electives not specified or im- exactly what they wanted.
first to plied as part of the student's degree pro- President Harlan Hatcher an-
sciences gram requirements, subject to approval by nounced the appointment of a fa-
to com- his program advisor. culty committee to review research
me. " Some technical electives, limited to one policy. The committee was given
than 30 per term and only one in either summer its mandate amid many ad-hoc
dvantage half term. The same restrictions apply as statements on the University's r,-.
ral than for free electives. search.
llege. The student's decision to elect pass-fail Engineering Council, for in-
comple- must be made within the first two weeks stance, gave classified research a
more or less blanket approval
ie terms. of a term or the first week of a half term. mainlyrbecause they feared its
lours re- The choice must be registered with the En- discontinuation would have dele-
ating re- gineering College Records Office. Instruc- terious effects on the school's cur-
tors will not be notified of pass-fail elections. riculum and availability of funds.
Ities and Only grades of C or above will be given Even earlier, in late October, As-
o an ab- "pass" rating. sembly's Research Policies Com-
a sug- To be eligible for the Dean's Honor List, mittee, which was later to make
a student must elect a minimum of 12 grad- a report, made a statement fav-
nposition ed hours per term. A minimum of 65 hours oring "rochange in the Univer-
J sity's research policy until a thor-
eat books of graded credit is required for recognition ; ough study can be made."

a very difficult position.
Cover Photo
Let us hope that the students
shown in the top left and bot-
tom right photos get together
in the Undergraduate Library's
coffee lounge. The UGLI,
where they are studying, is a
favorite campus location for
meeting new friends (see
story page 8).
The coed shown in the iso-
lation of the Mason Hall lan-
guage lab (bottom left) may
not meet as many new dates,
but she has the comfort of
knowing her language require-
ment will soon be finished (see
story page 7).
Vice-President for Research
A. Geoffrey Norman has had,
this year, concerns at least as
serious as the students' studies
(see story above).
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glish lit-
ded cur-
to take
comput-
Computer
phics 101
been cut
'ol chem-
a a new
n modi-
lasses in
icle and
lcs, solid
ring sci-
approved
ly for a
o faculty

on diploma.
The literary college allows only one pass-
fail course for each of four terms.
Freshman entrance requirements have
also been liberalized. The number of units
of English has been raised from three to
four; one unit of foreign language can be
applied to this requirement, although two
as electives.
Four units of mathematics are required -
two of algebra, one of geometry, one half
of trigonometry, and one half of analytic
geometry or advanced topics.
Instead of two units of science, one unit
of chemistry and one of physics are speci-
fied.
The number of electives has been in-
creased from three to four as well.
Both the Regents and the school's fac-
ulty view the new requirements as "con-
sistent with the ever-increasing demands
for upgrading the quality of engineering
education."



ri

I!


A. Geoffrey Norman

i!


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