Just one of over 100 U.S. military interventions in a foreign country over the last century, the recent attack on Iraq promises to be only the beginning of the War on Terror that Vice President Cheney says will "last longer than our lifetimes." Given the climate of war and violence that the government seems to promise its citizens, where should institutions of higher learning stand?

Traditionally places of intellectual pursuit and critical thinking, focus has recently shifted to obtaining research grants and finding "customers" for the university's intellectual products. Contracts with the Department of Defense constitute the largest money maker for Penn State, bringing in more than $100 million in grants and contracts yearly.

As part of the Penn State community, we must evaluate what we believe is most important for the university to gain for itself and what is most important for it to give to the public. Does the university place greater value on the short-term economic profits elicited from business with the Department of Defense or the long-term profits of contributing to the human species reaching new levels of understanding and developing methods to deal with conflict that do not depend on violence, fear and control?

What would the public rather receive from the university: a short-term sense of security knowing the country is building up its weapons arsenal or a long-term sense of security knowing they live in a world that no longer depends on war and death to solve problems?