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FEBRUARY 3, 2010 | News Release by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Penn State Whitewashes Climategate Investigation
University's internal review ignores key evidence of alleged scientific misconduct
Penn State's internal review of Michael Mann's alleged scientific misconduct-and the university's virtual exoneration of his behavior-ignored key evidence in the Climategate scandal. As expected, Penn State did little more than a whitewash.
JANUARY 19, 2010 | Commentary by MATTHEW BROUILLETTE
Mann-Made Global Warming?
Climategate was born in late November 2009 with the release of more than a thousand emails and other documents from the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in England. One of the prominent figures in these emails is Penn State's Michael Mann, a professor in the university's Department of Meteorology. To Penn Stat
JANUARY 12, 2010 | Policy Brief by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION
Climategate & Penn State
The Case for an Independent Investigation
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.
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FEBRUARY 24, 2010
Who's to Blame for the Rising Costs of Higher Ed?
Rendell's FY 2010-11 budget funds state related universities at the same level as FY 2009-10 budget. University officials claim they need an increase in state funding to keep tuition affordable. Penn State President Spainer said:
"There has been no increase in state financial support for the four state-related universities for the past 10 years, which is putting increased pressure on student tuition, since university costs for salaries, utilities, food and other things continue to rise."
True, but this is only part of the story. State subsidies for state-related institutions have remained fairly steady in the last ten years, but the amount of PHEAA grants, federal pell grants, subsidies for student loans, and research grants have increased dramatically. Yet tuition continues to rise.
Additionally Pennsylvania universities will receive millions in stimulus money. Here's a list of Penn State contracts, grant,s and loans funded by the stimulus as of October 2009 totaling, $67 million.
While state system schools are requesting more funds they are also looking at cost savings measures including consolidating unpopular majors and even eliminating programs at some schools.
The wealth, not the lack, of government subsidies is the true cause of rising higher education costs.
posted by ELIZABETH BRYAN | 00:36 PM | 0 comment
FEBRUARY 12, 2010
Climategate is an Embarassment
Penn State sophomore Samuel Settle pens a letter on why he is embarrassed of professor Michael Mann's behavior, and his school's white-washing of an investigation.
Click here for our report on Climategate and Penn State.
posted by NATHAN BENEFIELD | 10:29 AM | 0 comment
FEBRUARY 3, 2010
PSU Clears Mann on 3 of 4 Allegations
Penn State's internal investigation into the scientific conduct of Michael Mann cleared him of three of the four allegations against him. The report states they could find "no credible evidence" that Mann suppressed or falsified data, destroyed or concealed emails or data, or misused privileged information.
The university will continue an investigative inquiry into whether Mann conduct was unbecoming of a scientist (which sounds a bit like the end of A Few Good Men, only without Col. Jessup's admission to ordering the code red).
Here is our policy brief outlining why taxpayers deserve an independent investigation into Mann's activities, given Penn State's conflict of interest. Indeed, Penn State has rejected external Right to Know requests, as they are exempted from the state Open Records law (despite hundreds of millions in direct taxpayer subsidy).
posted by NATHAN BENEFIELD | 02:31 PM | 0 comment
