Apr 25, 2005
Some Really Nasty Administrative Behavior at the University of Nevada Reno
News is breaking in the case of Hussein S. Hussein,
an Associate Professor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Nevada Reno.
A story picked up and given wide circulation by the Associated Press suggests that Hussein has been targeted by the administration at Nevada-Reno for whistleblowing. An earlier AP story, dated April 20, includes further details.
Among the ingredients of this witches' brew are a bogus tip from the university police to the FBI that Hussein, a native of Egypt, was involved in terrorism; a Kafkaesque application of hate crime legislation (to punish the victim of the alleged hate crime); and what looks like major abuse of the university's Federally mandated committee for reviewing animal research studies.
I'm actually surprised that more university administrations aren't manipulating Animal Research Committees (or Institutional Review Boards, their counterparts for research with human subjects) in order to get even with researchers whose statements or actions have displeased them. But then, I don't want to give anyone any ideas. At least Nevada-Reno's administration failed to convince a hearing panel that there was anything to its trumped-up charges of violations of animal research rules.
All indications are that this one is going to get much uglier before it's over.
(A hat tip to Jameela Lares at the AAUP-USM message board.)
A story picked up and given wide circulation by the Associated Press suggests that Hussein has been targeted by the administration at Nevada-Reno for whistleblowing. An earlier AP story, dated April 20, includes further details.
Among the ingredients of this witches' brew are a bogus tip from the university police to the FBI that Hussein, a native of Egypt, was involved in terrorism; a Kafkaesque application of hate crime legislation (to punish the victim of the alleged hate crime); and what looks like major abuse of the university's Federally mandated committee for reviewing animal research studies.
I'm actually surprised that more university administrations aren't manipulating Animal Research Committees (or Institutional Review Boards, their counterparts for research with human subjects) in order to get even with researchers whose statements or actions have displeased them. But then, I don't want to give anyone any ideas. At least Nevada-Reno's administration failed to convince a hearing panel that there was anything to its trumped-up charges of violations of animal research rules.
All indications are that this one is going to get much uglier before it's over.
(A hat tip to Jameela Lares at the AAUP-USM message board.)