UA Executive Committee And Interim Vice Chancellor Ratify Committee’s Recommendations For Code Of Conduct

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. --- Earlier this week, the University of Arkansas executive committee voted unanimously to accept the recommendations of the UA Committee on Fair Labor and University Licensing on a code of conduct that governs the manufacture of University-licensed products.

Today, the final arbiter in this institutional decision—the interim vice chancellor for academic affairs—accepted those recommendations in their entirety.

The course of action the University will now pursue is to sign on to the Collegiate Licensing Company’s (CLC) code of conduct—with an addendum for licensees that addresses women’s rights, environmental protection, and public disclosure. All licensees of the University of Arkansas will be required to sign both the code and the University’s addendum.

"To a person, the executive committee and I believe that this is the best direction for the University to take at this time," said Dan Bennett, interim vice chancellor of academic affairs.

"We appreciate the months of effort devoted to this critical issue by the Committee on Fair Labor and University Licensing," Bennett added. "These recommendations reflect the consensus of the students, faculty, staff and administrators on the committee. They also remove ambiguity about the University’s position and enable us to adopt the code of conduct chosen by the nearly 200 colleges and universities nationwide that make up the CLC.

"The recommendations strengthen the University’s position by adding our own pointed statements in regard to women’s rights, environmental issues, and public disclosure about where these products are manufactured," Bennett said. "Finally, they ensure that the University will continue to monitor the implementation and enforcement of both the code and the addendum by asking the Trademark and Licensing Committee, a standing group, to accept this responsibility."

The Committee on Fair Labor and University Licensing was established on July 30 by Chancellor John A. White, who asked Bev Lewis, director of women’s athletics, to chair the committee and appoint its members. White directed the committee to ensure that the University of Arkansas "be a leader in the national effort to ensure that products bearing an institution’s marks are produced in working conditions that are safe, healthy and fair to workers."

White asked the committee to examine various proposals pending with the University for addressing these issues and to draft recommendations by Jan. 30 for consideration by the executive committee. The executive committee consists of the UA’s five vice chancellors and the executive assistant to the chancellor.

To avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest because of his membership on the Russell Corporation board of directors, White removed himself from making the final decision. Instead, he asked that that decision be made by the interim vice chancellor for academic affairs, based on the executive committee’s final recommendations.

The Committee on Fair Labor and University Licensing sponsored a public hearing on Oct. 6, 1999, to solicit input on the matter from the University community. On average, the committee met every two weeks to hear presenters on the intricacies of the apparel industry and licensing issues, and to analyze, discuss and debate various proposed codes of conduct and the larger dynamics surrounding these proposals.

Specifically, the committee members analyzed—word for word, paragraph by paragraph—three proposed codes: those of the CLC, the Fair Labor Association, and the Workers Rights Consortium developed by the United Students Against Sweatshops.

The CLC code was developed over the past three years to govern workplace conditions and workers’ rights as they pertain to the manufacture of products bearing an institution’s trademarked names and logos.

Under the CLC code, licensees must adhere to standards governing legal compliance of the countries in which manufacturing takes place; wages and benefits; working hours; overtime compensation; child labor; forced labor; health and safety; nondiscrimination; harassment or abuse; freedom of association and collective bargaining.

To strengthen the University’s position beyond the CLC code, the University will now require that licensees also sign an addendum that specifically addresses women’s rights, environmental protection, and public disclosure of manufacturing sites