Dirk Van Stralen (with permission) 		           

The Commercialization of

University Teaching and Research

Some relevant links, books and documents

Compiled by Karl Dilcher
This list grew out of my concern over the increasing commercialization of all aspects of Canadian universities, especially teaching, research, and administration. I am no specialist in these matters, but my goal has been to provide some links to writings of people who are. This is admittedly "one-sided", but so are the main-stream media and the pronouncements of almost all politicians and administrators.

My main source so far has been the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT Bulletin).
If you have any comments, or sites you'd like to see added, please let me know.

Expert Panel on the Commercialization of University Research
  • Text of Final Report
  • Feds Urged to Scrap the Expert Panel Report (CAUT Bulletin, October '99)
  • Fighting for the Freedom of Inquiry, Editorial (CAUT Bulletin, November '99)
  • CAUT Letter to the Prime Minister Regarding Commercialization , March 13, 2000
  • The Uncertain Future of the Liberal Education Commentary (CAUT Bulletin, October '99)
  • CAUT Commentary on The Final Report of the Expert Panel, September 30, 1999
  • CAUT Deplores Final Expert Panel Report (CAUT Bulletin, June, '99)
    • Lead Articles and Commentaries
  • Fall Conference Exposes Commercialism Trend (CAUT Bulletin, November '99)
  • The University Has No Business in the Intellectual Property Business, Commentary (CAUT Bulletin, September, '99)
  • Growing Commercial Pressures Endanger Academic Freedom & University Autonomy, Commentary (CAUT Bulletin, June '99)
  • David Strangway's Private University - A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, Commentary (CAUT Bulletin, May '99)
    • Book Reviews
  • Universities for Sale: Resisting Corporate Control Over Canadian Higher Education by Neil Tudiver (CAUT Bulletin, January 2000)
  • Owning the Future, by Seth Shulman (CAUT Bulletin, September '99)
  • The Religion of Technology: The Divinity of Man and the Spirit of Invention, by David F. Noble (Review by Felix Stalder)
  • Missing Pieces: An Alternative Guide to Canadian Post-Secondary Education, by Erika Shaker and Denise Doherty-Delorme, published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). [Summary] [Press release]
  • NO LOGO: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies, by Naomi Klein (Review by Bronwyn Drainie, The Globe and Mail, Jan. 15, 2000).
  • "The University Means Business : Universities, Corporations and Academic Work", by Janice Newson and Howard Buchbinder, Garamond Press, 1988 (no review available). NEW
  • "The Corporate Campus: Commercialization and the Dangers to Canada's Colleges and Universities", edited by James Turk, James Lorimer & Company, to be published by the end of August, 2000. NEW
    • Smaller Articles
  • Private Funding Impacts Research Integrity (CAUT Bulletin, March 2000)
  • New Trade Rules Target Education (CAUT Bulletin, September, '99)
  • Brown University Protects Company, Fires Researcher (CAUT Bulletin, June '99)
    • Long Articles or Studies
  • David Noble's Articles on Digital Diploma Mills
  • Education, Limited. Monitoring Corporate Intrusion in Canadian Public Education, by Erica Shaker, CCPA.
  • The Kept University, by Eyal Press and Jennifer Washburn (The Atlantic Monthly, March 2000).
  • Creativity and Innovation in Canadian Society and Organizations: Some Suggestions for Policy and Action by Marjorie Stone.
  • "Pitching the Academy". CBC Radio "Ideas" Program (Oct.9, 1997 and June 16, 1998) by Chris Whittaker. Printed transcripts available on the Ideas website. NEW
    • The Situation at Dalhousie University
  • "Dalhousie Inc. -- The Corporatisation of a University". A report by Benjamin Hirtle, for the Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group, 1999. (Available from the NSPIRG Office, Room 314, Student Union Building). [Contents][Preface]
  • A response by Michael Bradfield (Economics), "DFA Dialogue", Nov., 1999.
  • "Accessibility debate hits Dalhousie", Varsity News, July 24, 1999. (About the Dalhousie - ITI deal). NEW
  • The proposed deal with Knowledge House, Inc.
    • Corporate Sponsorship in High-School Mathematics Teaching: An Example
  • The Esso Math Camps, administered by the Canadian Mathematical Society
  • "Imperial Oil's high-sulphur gasoline triggers boycott call from Friends of the Earth" (April 19, 2000)
  • "Are Oil Companies and the Petroleum Board Trying to Avoid Proper Assessment Process?" Press release, Ecology Action Centre, Halifax (April 29, 2000).
    • Schools in general NEW
  • "Captive Kids: A Report on Commercial Pressures on Kids at School", Consumers Union.
  • Company Admits Math Scores Don't Add Up, Reuters, July 31, 2000.
    • Issues related to mathematics
  • "Imminent Danger -- From a Distance". Commentary by Steven Krantz, AMS Notices, May 2000.
  • "The Pepsi Putnam Challenge", by Colin Adams, The Mathematical Intelligencer, Vol. 22, No. 3 (Summer 2000), p. 37-38. NEW
    • Links to relevant organizations (including those already mentioned above) NEW
  • The Center for the Analysis of Commercialism in Education
  • The Center for Commercial-Free Public Education
  • The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
  • The Canadian Association of University Teachers
  • The Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group
    • Miscellanea
  • CAUT Directory of University Board - Corporate Linkages
  • The CCPA Education Monitor. A quarterly newsletter dealing with education issues.
    • German Articles NEW
  • "Werber auf Schülerjagd", Die Zeit, July 27, 2000.
  • "Zielfernrohr auf die Schulen", Die Welt, May 3, 2000.
  • "Power auf Dauer", Der Spiegel, Oct. 4, 1999.
  • "Sponsoring-Konzepte. Ein Fallbeispiel aus Witten" by Michael Weigend, Fernuniversität Hagen, May 20, 1999.

    • Last updated: August 23, 2000