Liberal academia? Not in Oregon

But there is plenty of BushCo censorship

Oregon State University forestry professors tried to censor an article in Science by graduate student Daniel Donato that shows that post-fire logging delays forest recovery.

First, there’s the issue of censorship being practiced by an academic institution in general and a public, taxpayer-supported school in particular.

Second, as OSU’s College of Forestry gets about 10 percent of its operating expenses through a logging tax, there’s a conflict of interest in the professors trying to censor the article.

Third, there’s the idiocy of the Oregon Legislature if it stipulates a percentage of logging taxes go direct to the forestry program rather than the university’s general fund.

Fourth, there’s the lying by both the forestry staff, including dean Hal Salwasser, that they are just concerned the article somehow dodged a full peer review, rather than admitting they don’t know how to counter Donato.

But:

“There was no failure of peer review in this case,” said (Science Editor Donald) Kennedy. “I’m sorry they don't like the outcome, but I think they have a misplaced case here.”

Please, sir, you might be aiding and abetting the trees with such treasonous talk.

Update, Feb. 8: The Bureau of Land Management announced today it would restore funding for the third year of Donato's study, after Rep. Jay Inslee started making noise to Interior’s inspector general.