OSU Stone Walls the Public and the Press
Tuesday, March 15, 2011 at 9:51AM Dear Friends,
Thank you for the many emails and phone calls that you have made on behalf of the Robinson students. Your continued inquiries are very helpful to them.
Meanwhile, there is no indication as yet that the OSU faculty administrators who plan to see that the Robinson students are unable to complete their PhD work regardless of their examination, academic, and research performance (the three things that ordinarily govern PhD work) have altered their course. These people are continuing their reprehensible maneuvering - and are attempting to keep their actions from public view.
OSU has widely advertised for many days that they cannot speak about these actions because of student confidentiality. When, however, Joshua Robinson gave waivers of confidentiality to some members of the press, they then changed their tune. When the Oregonian inquired at OSU, OSU replied that Joshua's waivers were not in an acceptable form. So, the Oregonian asked what form would be acceptable. OSU then answered that there is none. They will not speak with the press about their actions against these students.
These OSU bureaucrats know that they have been caught. Their actions against the Robinson students and against Professor Jack Higginbotham, President of the OSU Faculty Senate who tried to rescue them, cannot be kept secret. Thousands of inquiries have been made by the public and dozens of news organizations are seeking information. OSU bureaucrats think that they can stone wall all of these people. They cannot do so for long.
I have worked in academia both as a faculty member and student adviser and also as a research colleague of academics and students in numerous universities for almost 50 years. I have never before seen or even heard of academic actions so unethical as those being taken against these students and this courageous professor.
For the good of Oregon State University, as well as for the good of the Robinson students and Professor Higginbotham, these people must be stopped.
Our family is very grateful to you for your help and encouragement.
Art