[9841] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: Some Thoughts on The National Science Board
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Brock N. Meeks)
Sun Jan 23 18:12:06 1994
Date: Sun, 23 Jan 1994 14:59:46 -0800 (PST)
From: "Brock N. Meeks" <brock@well.sf.ca.us>
To: Gordon Cook <cook@path.net>
Cc: com-priv@psi.com
In-Reply-To: <9401152030.aa09380@pandora.sf.ca.us>
I find it a little destressing that Mr. Duderstadt chairs the NSB and is
President of U. of Mich. This instituion is among the top 5 NSF grant
holders and is now running the nation's forerunner of the "super info
highway."
It's true that Mr. Duderstadt abstains from voiting on issues that invole
his University. But I've been told that he has used his influence on the
board to the benefit of U. of Mich. At very least, there is the
appearance of the conflict of interest.
When I was investigating the NSFNet during 1992, I received several
messages that questioned Mr. Duderstadt's role on the NSB and how that
played into the current cooperative agreement his university has with NSF
to run the NSFNet program. Mr. Duderstadt never returned any of my calls
to answer these questions. Since I couldn't get anyone sending messages
about Duderstadt to go on the record, I decided to let the issue pass.
This shouldn't been construed to imply any wrong doing on Duderstadt's
part. I would have liked to talk to him and found it curious that he
didn't return my calls. And yes,I left detailed messages for him, asking
about his relationship to the NSB and the Merit/NSF relationship.
All that said, I believe there is room for further investigation. As
Gordon suggested, it would be good to see where the NSB members stand
and just how much money has flowed to their particular instituions.
Brock Meeks
reporter
Communications Daily
