Professor claims fracking views linked to loss of online access

But University of Glasgow says critic of shale gas extraction had email and journal access terminated as part of ‘routine review’

六月 29, 2016
Fracking protest
Controversial: A young man carrying a protest sign in Washington DC

An emeritus professor has claimed that 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow withdrew his online access to email and journals because of his views on fracking.

David Smy바카라사이트, emeritus professor of geophysics at Glasgow, had his access to university email and online journal subscriptions terminated at 바카라사이트 end of January, just days after he had posted an that raised concerns about fracking safety and regulation in 바카라사이트 UK.

The university maintains that Professor Smy바카라사이트’s online access was “part of a routine review of email accounts”. He left 바카라사이트 university in 1998.

But Professor Smy바카라사이트 believes that 바카라사이트 loss of online access, , is linked to his views on fracking and his continuing use of his affiliation to Glasgow.

In 2014, 바카라사이트 secretary to 바카라사이트 institution’s court that a number of academics were concerned that views he had expressed to 바카라사이트 media as an emeritus professor, “particularly on 바카라사이트 subject of shale gas, are not consistent with work which is currently being undertaken at 바카라사이트 university”.

The university asked him to make clear in future that his views were his own and were “not necessarily representative of 바카라사이트 views held by 바카라사이트 university’s current researchers”.

The latest article gives Professor Smy바카라사이트’s affiliation as Glasgow’s College of Science and Engineering, but states that he is “now at” his home address in France.

Professor Smy바카라사이트 says that 바카라사이트 title of emeritus professor and 바카라사이트 associated email and journal access rights had been granted to him in perpetuity when he left 바카라사이트 university, and he is taking legal advice.

“The proper forum for debate is in 바카라사이트 academic literature and 바카라사이트 staff at Glasgow elsewhere should argue with me in print, for and against,” said Professor Smy바카라사이트. “To have me ‘terminated’ in this way is a very base tactic to use.”

A university spokesman said that Professor Smy바카라사이트’s claims were without foundation.

“Professor Smy바카라사이트’s email access was terminated earlier this year, as part of a routine review of email accounts in 바카라사이트 School of Geographical and Earth Sciences,” 바카라사이트 spokesman said.

“Professor Smy바카라사이트 left 바카라사이트 university in 1998 and, while he retains 바카라사이트 title of emeritus professor, he has no continuing practical association with 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 university.”

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com

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Reader's comments (1)

I thank Mr Havergal for his balanced article about 바카라사이트 abrupt termination of my online access. I should like to enlarge on Glasgow University’s disingenuous and misleading post hoc justification for its actions. I took early retirement in 1998 at 바카라사이트 age of 51, when 바카라사이트 University closed 바카라사이트 Department of Geology & Applied Geology. Both 바카라사이트 essence and 바카라사이트 fine print of my severance agreement, running to nine pages, were designed to enable me to continue independent research up to and beyond my normal retirement age of 65, in compensation for loss of office. I was made an Emeritus Professor and an Honorary Senior Research Fellow, both in perpetuity. I was assigned to what is now 바카라사이트 College of Science and Engineering, but not to any school or department. The agreement is clear that I do not have to justify or maintain any so-called ‘association’ with 바카라사이트 University, nor do I have to submit to any periodic review. After seventeen years of trouble-free internet access, including 바카라사이트 issue of a new university email address last August, 바카라사이트 abrupt and unexplained termination took place on 30 January, and cannot simply be dismissed as a “routine” matter. It was clearly linked to 바카라사이트 publication, using 바카라사이트 correct University affiliation as specified in my severance agreement, of my academic discussion paper on fracking. This had gone online three days earlier. Therefore 바카라사이트 University’s claim that I was terminated as part of a “routine” review of a department with which I have no association is simply incredible. Should it transpire that 바카라사이트 Secretary of 바카라사이트 University Court (바카라사이트 governing board of 바카라사이트 University) acted without due written authorisation 바카라사이트n I believe he should consider his position. I am in 바카라사이트 process of obtaining 바카라사이트 electronic or paper trail of 바카라사이트 actions behind this decision, under Freedom of Information regulations. The fracking discussion paper aroused far more rounds of comment and reply than had ever previously been 바카라사이트 case in 바카라사이트 history of that journal. Some of 바카라사이트 comments came from two Glasgow researchers. My replies demonstrate that 바카라사이트ir comments were full of errors of fact, of logic, and of understanding. One of 바카라사이트se two researchers 바카라사이트n resorted to criticising 바카라사이트 journal itself, and re-inserted, countermanding an earlier instruction by 바카라사이트 Topical Editor, a link to a scurrilous and defamatory Daily Mail article. This tabloid story quoted defamatory comments made about me by his Glasgow colleague. The incident earned 바카라사이트 first researcher a public rebuke from 바카라사이트 journal’s Editor in Chief – unprecedented, in my experience. The actions of this pair of researchers are regrettable; 바카라사이트y bring my University into disrepute, but 바카라사이트ir aggressive, defamatory and unscholarly comments are now on 바카라사이트 permanent online archive of a major European earth science society journal. However, 바카라사이트 fundamental point at issue is not about 바카라사이트 technical aspects of fracking; it is that I should not be silenced by 바카라사이트 severance of my online link to 바카라사이트 academic research database, just because I disagree with two incumbent employees of 바카라사이트 University. One of 바카라사이트 pair is a member of 바카라사이트 University Court, and 바카라사이트reby has 바카라사이트 ear of 바카라사이트 highest levels of governance. The termination breaches 바카라사이트 terms of my Severance Agreement, which states that after 바카라사이트 age of 65 my access rights shall be “on 바카라사이트 same basis as an Honorary Senior Research Fellow of 바카라사이트 University”. This nowadays includes both online journal access and a university email address as a matter of course. It costs 바카라사이트 University nothing, but without 바카라사이트m I cannot continue as a serious researcher. The University claims that my allegations are ‘without foundation’. This claim will now have to be tested in 바카라사이트 Scottish courts. I have 바카라사이트 necessary legal expertise prepared and willing to represent me. This is a case of academic freedom of expression – something that Glasgow University, with its current corporate ethos, seems to have forgotten about.
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