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TOP STORIES FOR FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2004 USC Center Will Work to Commercialize Technology PeopleSoft Again Says No to Oracle Diebold Settles with California USC CENTER WILL WORK TO COMMERCIALIZE TECHNOLOGY The University of Southern California (USC) will use a $22 million donation by a university alumnus to create the Mark and Mary Stevens Institute for Technology Commercializing in the school of engineering. Mark Stevens, who received bachelor's and master's degrees from USC, is a partner at Sequoia Capital, one of the country's leading venture capital firms. The institute will promote commercialization of technologies developed at the university, and funding for the institute will support a staff of patenting, licensing, and marketing professionals. Although efforts of the institute will focus on inventions in the school of engineering, it will also work with faculty in other areas of the university, including the medical school. C. L. Max Nikias, dean of the university's engineering school, acknowledged that compared to similarly sized institutions, USC trails behind in its programs to bring university inventions to commercial markets. Chronicle of Higher Education, 11 November 2004 (sub. req'd) http://chronicle.com/prm/daily/2004/11/2004111102n.htm PEOPLESOFT AGAIN SAYS NO TO ORACLE The PeopleSoft Board of Directors has rejected what Oracle said is its final and best takeover bid of $24 per share. Officials from PeopleSoft again said that the bid undervalues the company. The board's decision leaves the fate of the deal in the hands of shareholders, who have until November 19 to tender their shares under the offer. If, at that time, fewer than 50 percent of the outstanding shares have been tendered, Oracle promises it will end its efforts to acquire its rival. If more than 50 percent are tendered, however, Oracle will ask a Delaware court to invalidate PeopleSoft's poison pill, which was put in place to ward off the hostile takeover. Many observers had suspected that after the firing of PeopleSoft CEO Craig Conway, perceived to be the leader of efforts to thwart the takeover, the company would be more amenable to Oracle's overtures. This evidently was not the case, however, given the board's latest rejection of the Oracle offer. New York Times, 11 November 2004 (registration req'd) http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/11/technology/11soft.html DIEBOLD SETTLES WITH CALIFORNIA Diebold Election Systems has reached a tentative settlement with the state of California over electronic voting machines that the company sold to the state. Concerns have been raised over the security of the systems, as well as their ability to accurately record votes. California Attorney General Bill Lockyer accused the company of misleading the state and said the settlement "holds Diebold accountable and helps ensure the future quality and security of its voting systems." A spokesperson for Diebold said the company agreed to the settlement to avoid prolonged legal action, allowing it to focus its attention on its products. Under the terms of the $2.6 million deal, Diebold will pay for alternative voting machines that had to be used where the electronic voting machines were disallowed; pay for backup measures in certain counties where the vote tally is questioned; pay for increased memory for the voting systems in certain counties; and make a number of changes to the voting systems to improve their security. Federal Computer Week, 11 November 2004 http://www.fcw.com/geb/articles/2004/1108/web-diebold-11-11-04.asp ***************************************************** EDUPAGE INFORMATION To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change your settings, visit http://www.educause.edu/Edupage/639 Or, you can subscribe or unsubscribe by sending e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To SUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SUBSCRIBE Edupage YourFirstName YourLastName To UNSUBSCRIBE, in the body of the message type: SIGNOFF Edupage If you have subscription problems, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For past issues of Edupage or information about translations of Edupage into other languages, visit http://www.educause.edu/Edupage/639 ***************************************************** OTHER EDUCAUSE PUBLICATIONS EDUCAUSE publishes periodicals, including "EQ" and "EDUCAUSE Review," books, and other materials dealing with the impacts and implications of information technology in higher education. For information on EDUCAUSE publications see http://www.educause.edu/47 ***************************************************** CONFERENCES For information on all EDUCAUSE learning and networking opportunities, see http://www.educause.edu/31 ***************************************************** COPYRIGHT Edupage copyright (c) 2004, EDUCAUSE
