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Berkeley, California: Professor Fired After Publishing Controversial Paper
January 05, 2005
PEN USA’s First Amendment Action Committee is concerned by the actions of University of California, Berkeley’s Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau who denied assistant professor Ignacio Chapela tenure, and later fired him, after Chapela published an anti-biotechnology paper.
Story Continued...
Ignacio Chapela was overwhelmingly recommended for tenure by three separate panels of peers and outside experts. Supporters also presented a petition to the chancellor’s office signed by 320 people, including 145 professors across the United States. However, he was denied tenure and reportedly told to empty his desk by December 31, 2004.
On December 9, 2004, Chapela’s last class concluded with a standing ovation by over 100 students and supporters, who had reportedly marched to the chancellor’s office demanding Chapela be given tenure and chanting “justice now!”
Chapela taught in the school’s Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management. Due to his vocal opposing of a five-year, $25 million deal Berkeley signed in 1998 with Novartis to do agricultural biotechnology research, Chapela was known as a controversial figure on campus. Besides this, many believe another reason he was denied tenure was the study he co-authored which was published in the journal Nature. This study concluded that DNA from genetically engineered corn contaminated native maize in Mexico.
The biotechnology company denounced the paper, and Nature said there was “not enough evidence available to justify publication” of the paper. Despite this statement, Nature did not retract the original paper, and printed two harsh criticisms of the work. It also allowed the researchers of the original work to write a defense, which presented new data.
University spokeswoman Marie Felde told reporters that she cannot comment on tenure decisions because they are confidential.
Due to the support for Chapela and his exceptional merits, PEN USA believes it is very possible Chapela was denied tenure due to his speaking out - both against the deal with Novartis (which the Chancellor helped create) - and by writing the paper that went against the politics, and wallets, of the biotechnology companies.
“Something is rotten, not in Denmark, but here in Berkeley,” said Ethnic Studies Professor Carlos Munoz. “This case sends a clear message that faculty who challenge the dominant paradigm are not welcome, especially if they don’t accept corporate funding.”
Recommended Action:
Write the Chancellor, urging him to give Chapela an extension on his employment, and another chance for tenure - this time based on his merits, not politics.
Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau
Office of the Chancellor
200 California Hall #1500
Berkeley, CA 94720-1500
Phone: 510 642-7464
Fax: 510 643-5499
Email: chancellor@berkeley.edu
Sign the petition:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/uc.htm