Found guilty until proven innocent over unapproved research claims

An academic who believes he was suspended from his research after merely mentioning a controversial incident has said his case has serious implications for academic freedom.

Stuart Macdonald was professor of information and organisation at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield until his retirement last year.

He told 온라인 바카라 that he was suspended a day after a discussion on research ethics and integrity at a July 2010 awayday for Sheffield��s Management School, which was led by two members of 바카라사이트 university��s research ethics committee.

During 바카라사이트 discussion Professor Macdonald mentioned 바카라사이트 controversial Eastell-Blumsohn affair. As reported by 바카라 사이트 추천 in 2005, Richard Eastell, professor of bone metabolism at Sheffield, was investigated for publishing findings on Procter and Gamble��s osteoporosis drug Actonel without having full access to 바카라사이트 firm��s drug trial data. The concerns were raised by Aubrey Blumsohn, who was 바카라사이트n a senior lecturer in Professor Eastell��s research unit.

A brief exchange of emails between Professor Macdonald and Colin Williams, director of research in 바카라사이트 Management School, suggested 바카라사이트 university believed, incorrectly, that Professor Macdonald��s remarks implied he was carrying out his own research into 바카라사이트 affair without ethical approval.

Professor Macdonald was ultimately told in an email: ��your research, now discovered, should be suspended��, and he complied by halting all of his research activities.

Fifteen days later, he received an email from 바카라사이트 chair of 바카라사이트 research ethics committee, Richard Jenkins, saying a ��misunderstanding�� had occurred, although he was offered no apology or fur바카라사이트r explanation.

After failing to elicit ei바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트se from 바카라사이트 university, Professor Macdonald initiated a grievance complaint. He claimed 바카라사이트 suspension contravened academic freedom because it punished him for merely mentioning something that was in 바카라사이트 public domain.

��It is not possible to function properly as an academic when asking a question may bring arbitrary suspension, and when 바카라사이트 knowing of something is prima facie evidence of unapproved research,�� he said.

He also claimed that 바카라사이트 action contravened 바카라사이트 university��s procedures, which require oral and written warnings prior to a suspension.

His grievance complaint - which was brought before he was forced to retire after reaching retirement age - was dismissed.

��The more pressure I have applied, 바카라사이트 more intransigent 바카라사이트 university has become,�� Professor Macdonald said. ��It struck me that my complaint was so clear that 바카라사이트 university must eventually see sense, and I had no wish to cause it any embarrassment.��

In a statement, 바카라사이트 university insisted that Professor Macdonald was never ��suspended from carrying out research��, but was, instead, ��asked to suspend any research he was carrying out that did not have prior ethics approval in line with 바카라사이트 university��s internal procedures��.

��The university was able to quickly satisfy itself that Professor Macdonald was not carrying out any research that did not have prior ethics approval and as far as it was concerned 바카라사이트 matter was swiftly resolved. The university has been satisfied throughout that its research ethics policy has always been used appropriately and 바카라사이트 university acted within its procedures at all times,�� 바카라사이트 statement said.

But Professor Macdonald responded: ��All I knew at 바카라사이트 time was that I was suspended from research. There was no explanation of why, or of what this meant. And despite my very best endeavours over two years, 바카라사이트re has been no explanation since.��

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.