OSU backs forestry dean despite furor

[Oregon] A vote within Oregon State University’s College of Forestry revealed strong support for Dean Hal Salwasser, who became embroiled in a high-profile dust-up that mixed questions about academic freedom with the wisdom of logging public lands after forest fires. The vote followed a furor over an attempt by some faculty to delay publication of a student-authored article in the prestigious journal Science. Salwasser had testified in favor of a congressional bill to accelerate salvage logging. E-mails emerged showing he worked with timber industry leaders to respond to Donato’s conclusions. A perception grew that the college was too closely tied to the timber industry, which supplies some of the college’s funds through a logging tax and which favors salvage logging. the poll also showed wide agreement with an internal report’s finding of failures in the college’s leadership and support for a plan by Salwasser to address the concerns. Salwasser acknowledged missteps and said he would diversify the leadership of the college, giving voice to a wider range of perspectives.

News notes are courtesy of Southern Forests Network News Notes
www.southernsustainableforests.org