April 25, 2002-Vol33n26: UB to stay neutral on New Era

UB to stay neutral on New Era

By DONNA LONGENECKER
Reporter Assistant Editor

The university will remain neutral regarding the controversy surrounding the New Era Cap Company, President William Greiner told the Faculty Senate Executive Committee at its April 17 meeting.

The company, which is a provider of UB-branded athletic apparel, has come under fire from University at Buffalo Students Against Sweatshops for what the students allege are sweatshop conditions at New Era's factory in Bangladesh and working conditions at its Derby factory. The Student Association has passed a resolution calling for the university to suspend its contract with the company.

Greiner, who talked with students several weeks ago about the company, said UB will not take a position on New Era's treatment of its workers and insisted that the university will remain neutral on the issue.

"I see where the students are coming from—I think their heart is in the right place and they deserve no ridicule—thank God they're interested," Greiner told senators, adding that UB isn't hiding behind any laws in honoring its contract with New Era, but is, in fact, in compliance with the law.

"The position I've taken with the students is to try and start from a principled base. I have to be very careful about embroiling the university in any type of political matter," Greiner said, pointing out that UB as an institution must not appear to be taking sides in any political or controversial issues. He made it clear that the political process and state and federal laws will decide the course of action at the university when it comes the New Era controversy.

"The institution is here to protect the rights of students, staff and faculty to speak on the issue of New Era," said Greiner. Moreover, by maintaining its neutrality, the university increases the prospect of keeping an open forum, he added.

While the licensing and selling of copyrighted merchandise can mean millions in profit for many universities, UB's share is relatively small and hinges in part on the recognition of its sports teams, Greiner said.

The problems that have arisen at New Era and other textile manufacturers in the United States are due, in part, to the desire of organized labor to keep as many jobs at home as it can, Greiner said, calling it a collective bargaining issue.

Nevertheless, he added, it isn't the university's responsibility to affect changes in the working standards at plants in the U.S. or in any other part of the world. Those concerns, he pointed out, are better left to the government agencies designed to deal with those kinds of issues.