Berkeley Redwood Protest Update

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1. Update:

Paul Jacobs, the executive director (former CEO) of Qualcomm, was a no-show for the ground breaking ceremony at the Redwood Grove behind Soda Hall, UC Berkeley campus.  The ceremony was moved into the Bechtel Engineering Center instead.  There were a row of white chairs set out in the sand volleyball court at the grove, and the Cal Day calendar online stated that the ground breaking ceremony was still scheduled to be at the grove; the ceremony was moved at the last minute with almost no public notice.  UC Berkeley police were present at the grove to prevent public access to the trees and volleyball court.

http://www.dailycal.org/2014/04/13/groundbreaking-engineering-building-draws-supporters-protesters/

Karen Rhodes, executive director of marketing and communications for the College of Engineering, told the Daily Cal newspaper that the event was moved to accommodate guests, but it is more likely the event was moved to avoid debate regarding the cutting down of redwoods trees for a design building, when a perfectly suitable and larger plot of land is nearby with no redwoods on it. The event was also moved to prevent protesters from asking Paul Jacobs if Qualcomm assisted the NSA in surveillance programs.


2. Tax funded education VS. Privatization // Qualcomm posts record profits, but Paul Jacobs wants a tax break for corporations

Qualcomm posted record profits, $6.62 billion, and has increased it projected earnings for 2014.  Yet Paul Jacobs, last month (March 4th), speaking to shareholders in his final message as CEO (currently is executive director), said that shareholders should tell congress that corporations like Qualcomm would "bring offshore money back to the United States" only if taxes were lowered.

Taxes help pay for public education.  Qualcomm is headquartered in California.  Lower taxes from the tech industry would mean less available funds for the University of California.  Paul Jacobs favors privatization of education, where buildings and research are paid for by private money.  Qualcomm's dealings with the UC are not acts of pure charity.  UC Regent Sherry Lansing was invited to join the Qualcomm board, earning $1million in stock and an annual director’s fee of $135,000; in exchange the UC invested $397,000,000 into Qualcomm.  Now the executive director wants to place a design research facility, paying the full $20million price.  The building would generate many lucrative patents beneficial to Qualcomm.  The university's patent policy grants patent rights to the UC on research done in UC facilities.  The UC can grant exclusive usage rights to corporate partners.  Trending towards privatization of education allows corporations to use public institutions for their own gain.


3. Police at grove

The UC Berkeley police maintain their presence at the grove all day night, assisted at night hours by flood lights.  There is no start date announced for building development, and the design center is bogged in controversy.  The police could be at the grove for months.  Their presence however has not deterred protest on the sidewalk.