University of Colorado at Boulder Chancellor Richard L. Byyny announced today that he has approved a revised campus licensing policy that reflects the university聮s commitment to human rights.
The changes in the official policy were made following administrative and legal review, today聮s discussion of an ad hoc committee聮s report to the chancellor and proposed changes to the official campus policy on licensing.
The committee was appointed to review the campus licensing policy and recommend changes to ensure that licensed apparel carrying the CU name not be manufactured in foreign-nation "sweatshops" that do not meet minimum standards for human and employment rights. Manufacturers of collegiate goods must be authorized by the university before they can put CU logos on sweatshirts, T-shirts and other products.
"We have taken positive action to reinforce our commitment to human rights," Byyny said. "The revised policy addresses the issues the students raised, and I am pleased to report that the additions and changes represent a clear signal that we are listening to our students聮 concerns, that we are willing to make commitments that demonstrate our belief in the integrity of our institution, and that we care about the conditions of working people around the world."
The policy now includes provisions on:
* Adherence to ethical business practices
* Respect for the value of each human being
* Wages and benefits
* Regular working hours
* Overtime
* Prohibition of child labor
* Prohibition of forced labor
* Safe and healthy work environments
* Nondiscrimination
* Prohibition of harassment and abuse
* Freedom of association
* Protection of women
* Compliance of licensees and verification
The new policy also creates a 10 percent rebate for licensees who demonstrate performance in excess of university standards, and creates a Licensing Advisory Committee.
The Committee, to be appointed by the Vice Chancellor for Administration, will make recommendations about new licensee applications, rebate guidelines, renewal agreements and dispute resolution guidelines. It will monitor licensee compliance using information from the Fair Labor Association (FLA), the Workers Rights Consortium (WRC) and other organizations.
Byyny said that the monitoring work of the FLA, WRC or other organizations would be evaluated during a year of observation and information gathering.
"The steps we have taken today do not preclude us from adding more steps in the future. I feel we are off to a very positive start in dealing with this issue," he said.