Jan
Penn State Daily Collegian keeps the focus on Michael Mann
Colleen Boyle at Penn State’s The Daily Collegian is keeping Michael Mann on the hot seat. In yesterday’s article, Group calls for Mann’s external investigation, she reminds readers of the Commonwealth Foundation’s 10-page policy statement urging the Pennsylvania General Assembly to commission an external and independent investigation of the Penn State meteorology professor.
A spokesman from the foundation said the inquiry Penn State has been conducting into Mann’s ethics is inappropriate, considering the university’s “glaring conflict of interest.”
“If the school conducts the investigation, there is likely to be a white-wash given that a negative finding would harm the school’s reputation,” said Joe Sterns, communications director for the Commonwealth Foundation.
As of press time, no Pennsylvania lawmakers had responded to the foundation’s policy letter.
But Penn State spokeswoman Lisa Powers expressed her confidence in Penn State’s ability to carry out a fair inquiry.
“From what I have heard and read, [the Commonwealth Foundation] already believes Professor Mann is guilty and that Penn State is unable to conduct a fair and impartial inquiry,” she said. “We take issue with that, and I encourage the Commonwealth Foundation to wait until Penn State’s review of the case is concluded before they condemn it.”
Penn State began the inquiry Nov. 29 and will conclude on Jan. 29.
From the introduction of the Comonwealth Foundation report:
The release of embarrassingly candid emails from the Climate Research Unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia has intensified, if not vindicated, suspicions that scientific misconduct has played a significant role in fueling alarmism over supposed catastrophic manmade global warming.Just days after news broke about what has been dubbed “Climategate,” Penn State University (PSU) announced that it would investigate the conduct of Michael Mann, a professor in PSU’s Department of Meteorology and a prominent figure in the Climategate emails.
While PSU is to be commended for recognizing that Climategate is a serious matter and that an investigation into Michael Mann’s conduct is warranted, the investigation constitutes a conflict of interest for the university. Mann’s climate work brings enough visibility, prestige, and revenue to PSU to legitimately call into question the university’s ability to do a thorough and unbiased investigation.
To avoid this glaring conflict of interest and ensure that the investigation of Mann is credible, the Pennsylvania General Assembly should commission an external and independent investigation into Mann’s potential scientific misconduct.
January 30 should be an interesting day at Peen State. But we don’t expect much to come from an in-house investigation.
If you’ve got anything on Mann, and have been hesitant to contact the ex-CIA investigator Kent Clizbe, think about emailing Colleen Boyle at The Daily Collegian.
Possibly related posts:
- Penn State decision on Michael Mann due on this week
- Penn State’s inquiry into Michael Mann advances to an investigation
- Penn State Protects Michael “Climategate” Mann
- BREAKING! Penn State finds Michael Mann innocent of suppressing or falsifying data
- Groups for and against Michael Mann rally at Penn State