E-Mail Cases Stir Debate
CHERYL HOGUE · Chemical & Engineering News · 2012
A public record request last month seeking a university climate researcher’s e-mails for use as political campaign fodder continues a trend that is inhibiting the free exchange of ideas by public university faculty, say organizations concerned about academic freedom. Those groups are the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). Both groups support public record laws and are not seeking changes to them. But they are concerned that allowing public university researchers’ e-mails discussing or critiquing scientific ideas to be made public—especially when taken out of context for political purposes—is putting a damper on scientific inquiry. The academic freedom issue was renewed last month when the American Tradition Institute (ATI), a conservative organization that is dismissive of human-caused climate change, filed a freedom of information request for certain e-mails of Texas Tech University atmospheric scientist Katharine Hayhoe. ATI says it’s interested in some of ...