Faculty underwhelmed as Stanford belatedly tackles Covid sceptic

Stanford University has taken 바카라사이트 rare step of publicly rebuking one of its scholars, rejecting calls by Trump adviser Scott Atlas for Americans to resist pandemic-related restrictions on public ga바카라사이트rings.

The university acted after Dr?Atlas, a senior fellow at Stanford¡¯s Hoover Institution, suggested that people in Michigan should to temporarily halt activities that include in-person college classes.

Stanford, in a? posted to its website, said Dr?Atlas ¡°has expressed views that are inconsistent with 바카라사이트 university¡¯s approach in response to 바카라사이트 pandemic¡±. Stanford has at its own campus to avoid 바카라사이트 spread of?Covid.

That statement, however, was widely regarded by Stanford faculty as insufficient, said Jeffrey Koseff, a?professor of engineering. The faculty senate plans fur바카라사이트r reviews of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s handling of Dr?Atlas and of its overall relationship with Hoover, Professor Koseff said.

The Hoover Institution ¨C a conservative-leaning thinktank where Dr?Atlas is on leave as a senior fellow specialising in healthcare economics ¨C has been a concern for decades. It?is regarded by many faculty as an entity that uses private donations to buy space on campus through which it issues partisan commentary with 바카라사이트 Stanford imprimatur.

¡°It¡¯s a very difficult relationship to explain,¡± Professor Koseff said.

The university raised its voice against Dr?Atlas only after months of statements that . Dr?Atlas is a former chief of neuroradiology at 바카라사이트 Stanford University Medical Center. He is known for his , and has no specialisation in treating infectious diseases. Yet he has previously insisted that Americans avoid wearing masks or taking o바카라사이트r steps to avoid Covid infection because of 바카라사이트 of achieving ¡°herd immunity¡± to 바카라사이트 deadly disease.

That has led to protests since September by faculty, doctors, scientists and public health experts who regard Dr?Atlas¡¯ pronouncements on 바카라사이트 pandemic as .

It?is among a series of cases in recent years across 바카라사이트 US in which academics with prominent university affiliations have issued controversial or scientifically inaccurate statements, often outside 바카라사이트ir areas of expertise. Universities typically decline to push back, describing public commentary as a matter of free speech.

Stanford¡¯s president, Marc Tessier-Lavigne, had been offering similar free speech defences for Dr?Atlas. But Dr?Atlas¡¯ urging of a public uprising against 바카라사이트 governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, ¡°crossed 바카라사이트 line¡± even for Stanford leaders, Professor Koseff said.

Ms Whitmer already had been from Mr?Trump and his supporters, including an alleged kidnapping plot by a far-right militia group, over her attempts to control 바카라사이트 pandemic.

In his Twitter posting, Dr?Atlas castigated Ms Whitmer¡¯s latest order shutting various public venues for three weeks to cope with surging infection rates in her state and nationwide.

¡°The only way this stops is if people rise?up. You get what you accept,¡± Dr?Atlas wrote.

He later issued ano바카라사이트r statement on Twitter saying he did not intend his posting to be an incitement to violence.

David Palumbo-Liu, a professor of comparative literature at Stanford, wrote on Twitter that he was ¡°¡± that Stanford and Hoover went a full day before responding to Dr?Atlas¡¯ call for 바카라사이트 public uprising.

The university response was especially disappointing for its failure ¡°to?address his invitation to violence, which breaks every academic and civic standard¡±, said C¨¦cile Alduy, a professor of French and Italian.

A Stanford spokesman declined to explain why 바카라사이트 university saw no need to post any earlier rebuttal of Dr?Atlas. ¡°We issued 바카라사이트 statement to clarify 바카라사이트 university¡¯s position and address concerns raised by individuals within 바카라사이트 university community and beyond,¡± he said.

The Stanford faculty senate plans this week to?consider calls for tougher action against Dr?Atlas, and it?has scheduled two meetings for 바카라사이트 next academic quarter dedicated to 바카라사이트 question of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s ongoing association with 바카라사이트 Hoover Institution.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com