From: Daily Cal Receive 
To: newscoverage@dailycal.org 
Subject: /receive news coverage
Date: Tuesday, November 24, 1998 8:08 AM

November 24, 1998
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* Microbial Biology Hails Deal With Biotech Company
* Editor Explains New Yorker's Appeal
* Juveniles Commit Fall's 15th Robbery
* News In Brief
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Microbial Biology Hails Deal With Biotech Company
Chancellor supportive of alliance despite protests, pie-throwing incident

By Scott Loganbill
Contributing Writer

	UC Berkeley's College of Natural Resources announced yesterday that
it has entered into an unprecedented alliance with a private biotechnology
firm, despite doubts from students concerning the deal's effects on the
university's integrity.
	Representatives of Novartis Agricultural Discovery Institute and
the college's Plant and Microbial Biology Department signed the deal
yesterday in a public event that was interrupted by an unexpected
pie-throwing attack.
	The alliance, which will give the department $25 million over five
years to facilitate unrestricted research as well as use of technologies
currently owned by Novartis, is expected to create close collaborations
between the private firm and UC Berkeley scientists through biotechnology
research.
	In return for the $25 million donation, the deal gives Novartis
first rights to negotiations over any inventions that result from the
research alliance, said Novartis President Steven Briggs.
	The anticipated contract has drawn criticism in recent months from
people who said information surrounding plans for the deal were not made
sufficiently accessible.
	The otherwise peaceful press conference took an unscheduled turn of
events early on when two members of the "Biotic Baking Brigade" attempted
to attack the deal's key participants, including Novartis' chief executive
Douglas Watkins, by throwing whipped-cream covered pies at them.
	Chanting "No to biotechnology," the two assailants, identified as
Daniel McGowan and Monica Forgoni, were immediately escorted out of the
room by police, according to UC police Capt. Bill Cooper. The suspects are
awaiting a court date on charges of trespassing and assault, he said.
	Despite the pie-throwing incident, Watkins and others, including UC
Berkeley Chancellor Robert Berdahl, carried on with the event seemingly
unfazed.
	The new deal will set a precedent in research funding in terms of
its freedom from corporate guidance. Research will be determined by faculty
while the alliance is to be constantly reviewed by an oversight committee
consisting of Novartis and UC Berkeley representatives, Briggs said.
	"It is my view that by providing unrestricted funding whose target
and goals are set solely by the faculty themselves (is a) striking contrast
from funding from the government," Briggs said. "This research is the final
statement in academic freedom."
	In an unrelated press conference after the deal was signed, members
of the Students for Responsible Research stressed their opposition to the
alliance, which they said was negotiated without student and faculty input.
	The group said it bases its opposition on controversy surrounding
genetic engineering and the direction university research will take when
under pressure to secure corporate sponsorship, said graduate student and
group spokesman Ariel Levine.
	"Students in general are hesitant if not opposed to it," Levine
said "We as students don't want to see our college sold off to the highest
bidders.
	"When it was presented to us, it was presented to us pretty much as
a done deal that was going to happen whether we liked it or not," she
added. "There wasn't any time for debate or open discussion."
	The group said it is also concerned over the direction the
university will take in its research if it is under pressure to gain
corporate sponsorship.
	"It is difficult and sometimes dangerous to come out against this
agreement that's been touted as a very huge step forward for the
university," said group representative Jason DelBovine. "I know of many
faculty members who are nervous about speaking up about this."
	Berdahl expressed his support of the landmark deal despite
criticism that it was not adequately discussed within staff and faculty.
	"To say this has not had an extensive discussion is not entirely
accurate," he said. "I think that this partnership is a very positive one
for the university and I'm very supportive of it."
	College Dean Gordon Rausser explained that if, upon further
discussion, fears expressed by graduate students and faculty turn out to be
true, negotiators have inserted exit clauses available to both Novartis and
the college.


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Editor Explains New Yorker's Appeal

By Norman Weiss
Daily Cal Staff Writer

	The New Yorker's new editor, David Remnick, verbally dissected the
lure and influence of the venerated magazine, and analyzed the changing
role journalism faces at a UC Berkeley lecture last night.
	The Pulitzer-Prize winning author and former Washington Post
foreign correspondent also described in front of a nearly-packed audience
in Zellerbach Hall his ascendency, at age 39, to the editorship of arguably
one of the world's most influential magazines <\#209> a post once described
by former editor Robert Gottlieb as being "like having your head put in the
end of a pencil sharpener."
@Body Copy:	"This is terrifying <\#209> to be on the other side of
this," Remnick said, as he was being interviewed by fellow journalist
Orville Schell, dean of the Graduate School of Journalism.
	He went on to describe New Yorker readers as a special breed who
think the magazine "belongs to them in some way."
	"I think that the intensity of the relationship between the New
Yorker, its writers and our readers is like no other in the world," said
Remnick, in his New York accent.
@Body Copy:	"I'm glad when (readers) get angry at a change," he added.
"It shows that they're paying attention in some way."
	Remnick told of how "terrifying and very strange" it was to lead
the New Yorker after the much-publicized announcement by his ever-popular
predecessor, Tina Brown, that she was stepping down.
	Remnick, the first editor to be chosen from within the New Yorker
staff, wrote a 3,000-word memo to the magazine's publisher explaining what
he would do if selected for the job.
	In his lecture, Remnick addressed the role of the editor as a
celebrity <\#209> a role that was heavily personified in Tina Brown. For
instance, Remnick pointed to the lecture he was giving, saying the ego of
the editor can be an overwhelming factor," but that his being a celebrity
is in the hands of the media.
	"The magazine is not an esoteric hutch," Remnick said. "It's not a
secret. I'm not a secret."
	Remnick, the magazine's fifth editor who had never served in that
capacity before, also described his role as an editor and how he guides
writers along in shaping their story.
	"You want that writer, when finished, to think that he or she has
come out of the end of the tunnel to come out with what they want (after
the editing process)," said Remnick.
	He said part of his job means "crisis management," whereby he has
to work on a "piece" for hours and hours in a locked-up room by himself in
order to get things "perfect."
	In addition to the New Yorker, Remnick addressed Schell's concerns
that as the world becomes more globalized, Americans are becoming
increasingly indifferent to foreign news. Remnick said he has noticed that,
in many cases, foreign bureaus are closing and network reporters are
frequently having "British accents."
	Remnick also played up his magazine's coverage of the Monica
Lewinsky White House scandal, while denouncing what he called the media's
intensity in the coverage of the presidential crisis.
	During the conversation, which was occasionally peppered with
Yiddish, Remnick said the frequently-criticized and praised changes Brown
made to the New Yorker, such as adding photos, were essential for its
growth <\#209> and he plans to change not a thing.
	"I think the look of the magazine is forever changed (because of
Brown) and I'm glad for it," he said.
	Before becoming editor in July, Remnick served as a staff writer
for the magazine for six years. He previously worked at the Washington
Post, where he spent four years covering the former Soviet Union as
communism was collapsing.
	Remnick later compiled his experience and work in Russia as the
author of "Lenin's Tomb," for which he won the 1994 Pulitzer Prize. He
recently released a non-biographical book on former boxer Muhammad Ali,
titled "King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero."
	Remnick was the latest installment in the Herb Caen/San Francisco
Chronicle lecture series. Previous interviews have included veteran
television news anchor Walter Cronkite and former Chancellor Chang-Lin Tien.
	Remnick closed the lecture by saying that the New Yorker, being one
of the most flocked-after magazines by writers, is a special place where
writers have an opportunity to really show off their craft.
@Body Copy:	"The New Yorker gave me the chance to essentially fail,.
and I am grateful for it," he said.


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Juveniles Commit Fall's 15th Robbery

By Katherine Tam
Contributing Writer

	Police are searching for four teenagers in connection with the
daytime robbery of two 12-year-old boys near the Haas Pavilion construction
site Saturday.
	Police said the victims were walking along the west side of the
Alumni House, approaching the intersection of Dana Street and Bancroft Way,
when they were confronted at approximately 1:30 p.m. by four males between
the ages of 14 and 17.
	"Although there were four suspects, only two of them were involved
in the robbery," said UC police Capt. Bill Cooper.
	One of the two robbers allegedly asked the victims for a quarter.
The two boys gave the robbers the quarter and proceeded to walk through
Dana Court toward Bancroft Way, Cooper said. Afterward, the perpetrators
followed the two victims, engaged them in conversation and then asked for
more money, he added.
	"At this point, the suspects had surrounded the victims, which
created an intimidating situation," Cooper said.
	As one of the victims opened his wallet, one assailant allegedly
grabbed the money inside. The robbers proceeded to demand money from the
second victim, who took out his wallet and gave them money, according to
police.
	The perpetrators then left the two juveniles and headed toward
Bancroft Way, Cooper said. The victims then went directly to the UC police
station in the basement of Sproul Hall to report the incident, he added.
	According to Cooper, the two robbers in the group of four are both
black males, approximately 6-feet, 1-inch tall and weighing 190 pounds. The
two victims were significantly physically smaller, he said.
	"There were no weapons involved," Cooper said. "It was strictly a
size difference and the intimidating threat of force."
	The robbery follows an increase of crime on campus since the
beginning of the semester. According to Cooper, last year, there were a
reported 17 robberies. In comparison, there have been 15 robberies already
reported this semester, he said.
	"The number of robberies has risen significantly this semester,"
Cooper said. "(But) out of the 15 robberies reported this semester, we've
had eight arrests, which comparatively is a good number of arrests."
	Campus police have not been able to come up with an explanation so
far for the increase in the number of robberies this semester.
	"(There) is nothing you can point directly to in order to explain
why this is happening," Cooper said.
	Although this latest incident marks the fifteenth on-campus robbery
since the beginning of the semester, Cooper said this theft differs from
the other robberies that have occurred lately.
	"Most of them have been at nighttime," he said. "The victims have
generally been older and the people responsible have also been older. The
fact that this one occurred during the daytime and involved juveniles makes
it different."
	Cooper added that in previous cases, the suspects have taken credit
cards or ATM cards.
	"Most people do not expect juveniles to have credit cards," he said.
	To help prevent robberies on campus, university police have made
adjustments in their system, including providing extra police presence in
the area.
	"We have extra patrols, both in uniform and plain clothes on campus
and all our officers are fully aware of the problem," Cooper said.
	In addition, he recommended that students walk with another person
and in well-lit and highly used areas whenever possible.
	"If students see something that looks suspicious or uncomfortable
such as someone loitering around near buildings or in the trees, they
should walk in the other direction," Cooper said.


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News In Brief


Officers Injured in Big Game Identified

	Police yesterday identified the two UC police officers who were
injured in the melee that erupted after Saturday's Big Game.
	UC police Officer Sherief Ibrahim sustained a thumb injury while
trying to hold back the pushing, shoving crowds, according to UC police
Capt. Bill Cooper. He added that UC police Lt. Adan Tejada was hit on the
head by a partly-full plastic bottle.
	The injuries did not require medical treatment and the two officers
have returned to duty, according to police.
	In addition, Cooper said that a Stanford security officer was also
injured during the scuffle when she was knocked to the ground and people
fell on top of her. She received medical treatment for cuts, scrapes and
bruises, but did not require hospitalization, said Cooper, who added that
it was unclear whether she has returned to duty yet.
	Despite the injuries, the chaos that followed the Big Game this
year was "tamer" compared to previous years, he said.
	"Last year, Cal and Stanford fans got together and actual fist
fights broke out," Cooper said. "This year, the biggest problems involved
things being thrown, shoving and serious pushing."
	Cooper said police are currently reviewing video tape of the event
in order to apprehend those who may have broken rules during the scuffle.
	"It is a problem and we don't want to see people get hurt," he said.
--Katherine Tam

Radio Station Returns to Airwaves
	Free Radio Berkeley, a micropower radio station, resumed
broadcasting yesterday from the treetops of Willard Park, announcing that
it will continue to broadcast indefinitely despite a federal injunction to
"cease and desist."
	Demanding an end to corporate dominance of the airwaves, Free Radio
Berkeley began transmitting at 104.1 FM to generate community support and
awareness. In June, a federal judge placed an injunction against the radio
station after the Federal Communication Commission charged that it was
broadcasting illegally.
	Disc jockeys Sparrow and Birdman started off the broadcast at
approximately 2 p.m. with a variety of music that organizers said would
promote the non-commercial, community-based radio service.
	Peter Burns, a supporter of the radio station and former
broadcaster, said, "We're really doing this to keep (Free Radio Berkeley)
in the public eye."
	Although they experienced early technical difficulties due to
stormy weather, the DJs said they are expecting to continue broadcasting
for as long as possible, "or at least for a couple of days," in violation
of demands from the FCC to cease broadcasting.
	Before yesterday's event, the radio station had been broadcasting
intermittently on Sunday nights from 8-11 p.m. from various locations.
	Free Radio Berkeley listeners are expected to gather today at 3
p.m. in People's Park and walk down to the site of the broadcast at Willard
Park in a show of support for the micropower station.
--Lev Metz

Donation Received for Middle Eastern Studies
	UC Berkeley received a $5 million donation yesterday from a Saudi
Arabia-based foundation to establish programs on campus and to enhance the
understanding of both the Arabic and Islamic worlds.
	The gift was presented to UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Berdahl by
two representatives from the Saudi bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud Foundation,
general secretary Prince Faisal bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince
Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who is the Saudi ambassador to the
United States.
	The donation is expected to be used to establish the Sultan bin
Abdulaziz Al-Saud Program in Arabic and Islamic Studies within the UC
Berkeley's Center for Middle Eastern Studies.
	In a statement, Berdahl said he is pleased to have received such a
gift from "our Saudi friends."
	"The endowment funds will allow us to broaden UC Berkeley's already
remarkable resources at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies," Berdahl
stated. "This a study area of critical global value."

Presidential Experts Discuss Impeachment

	Former White House counsels and well-known presidential experts met
yesterday to discuss the presidential impeachment inquiry and its
potentially wide-reaching implications.
	Richard Neustadt, a professor emeritus of government at Harvard
University who has served in various presidential administrations, said
impeachment should be used sparingly.
	"(Impeachment) should be a club kept in the closet," said Neustadt,
a UC Berkeley alumnus. "The house moved too quickly toward impeachment and
is now embarrassed. If the process was to be successful, it had to be
bipartisan. That's the first requirement of taking the club out of the
closet."
	Several panelists also addressed the apparent gap between public
opinion and congressional action. Moderator Michael Nacht, dean of UC
Berkeley's School of Public Policy, said that gap has brought the nature of
government into question.
	Leonard Cutler, who served as a White House counsel to former
president Richard Nixon, said he is distressed by what he described as the
Orwellian-like duplicity apparent in the White House.
	"It's my view that Mr. Clinton has mastered 'doublethink,' where he
can hold two contradictory ideas at the same time and argue them
convincingly and in fact believe them himself, which constitutes a form of
hypnosis," Cutler said.
	Approximately 100 people attended the discussion held at the Haas
School of Business.
	Tony Dykes, a junior political science major, said he was pleased
with the thoughful nature of the event.
	"It's interesting to hear academics talk about things in a little
broader context than a show trial about sex," Dykes said. "There are some
really interesting consequences for the presidency even if it has started
to flirt with public irrelevancy. It's still going to matter when the rest
of America goes back to other things."
--Zack Leeds

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