THE STUDENT SENATE OF OBERLIN COLLEGE …

                        THE STUDENT SENATE OF OBERLIN COLLEGE



Resolution in support of taxpayer access to federally funded research
Sponsor: Colin Koffel
Adopted on March 18, 2007 (12-0-0)


WHEREAS, Oberlin College students regularly engage in extensive academic research as an essential component
of our education; and

WHEREAS, student access to academic research is provided primarily by the college libraries' subscriptions to
academic journals; and

WHEREAS, United States Senators John Cornyn of Texas and Joe Lieberman of Connecticut introduced Senate
Bill 2695, the Federal Research Public Access Act, on May 2, 2006 and plan on introducing similar legislation
during the 110th Congress; and

WHEREAS, the Federal Research Public Access Act would require that every federal agency with an annual
extramural research budget exceeding $100 million to make the final manuscripts of journal articles written by
researchers who are totally or partially funded by the agency publicly available online within six-months of its
publication in a peer-reviewed journal; and

WHEREAS, the United States government invests more than $55 billion in research annually; and

WHEREAS, open access to taxpayer funded research will, in addition to increasing student and faculty access to
academic research, raise Oberlin College's worldwide visibility by increasing access to research conducting at
Oberlin College; and

WHEREAS, Ray English, Director of Libraries at Oberlin College, continues to serve as a lead proponent and
strong advocate for open access to taxpayer funded research; and

WHEREAS, President Nancy Dye and Provost Al MacKay have made Oberlin College a signatory to open letters
supporting open access to taxpayer funded research; therefore be it

RESOLVED that the students of Oberlin College support the re-introduction and passage of the Federal
Research Public Access Act; and be it further

RESOLVED that the students of Oberlin College call on United States Senators George Voinovich and Sherrod
Brown of Ohio and United States Representative Marcy Kaptur of Ohio's Ninth Congressional District to
support and work toward the passage of the Federal Research Public Access Act; and be it further

RESOLVED that the students of Oberlin College commend Ray English for his tremendous work toward
opening access to tax payer funded research and his general advancement of knowledge and learning at Oberlin
College.

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