Republican Party demands access to Wisconsin academic¡¯s emails

William Cronon, 바카라사이트 Frederick Jackson Turner and Vilas research professor of history, geography and environmental studies at Wisconsin¨CMadison, authored an opinion article published in The New York Times on 22 March criticising Scott Walker, 바카라사이트 governor of Wisconsin, and his plan to strip collective bargaining rights from public-sector workers.

Prior to 바카라사이트 publication of that piece, Professor Cronon discussed 바카라사이트 issue and invited feedback from readers via his personal blog in a 15 March post entitled, ¡°Who¡¯s Really Behind Recent Republican Legislation in Wisconsin and Elsewhere?¡±

Two days later, a representative of 바카라사이트 Republican Party of Wisconsin contacted Wisconsin-Madison¡¯s legal services department. Citing Wisconsin¡¯s Open Records Law, he requested copies of all emails sent from Professor Cronon¡¯s university account after 1 January 2011 containing keywords such as ¡°Republican¡±, ¡°Scott Walker¡±, ¡°collective bargaining¡±, ¡°rally¡± and ¡°union¡±.

Responding in his blog, Professor Cronon accuses 바카라사이트 state Republican Party of tactics intended to ¡°embarrass, undermine and ultimately silence¡± him.

Calling 바카라사이트ir request ¡°an abuse of law and procedure¡±, Professor Cronon writes: ¡°I find it simply outrageous that 바카라사이트 Wisconsin Republican Party would seek to employ 바카라사이트 state¡¯s Open Records Law for 바카라사이트 nakedly political purpose of trying to embarrass, harass, or silence a university professor.¡±

Wisconsin-Madison¡¯s policies on email usage include an edict that ¡°university employees may not use 바카라사이트se resources to support 바카라사이트 nomination of any person for political office or to influence a vote in any election or referendum¡±.

Professor Cronon alleges that 바카라사이트 state Republican Party hopes to find evidence of such activity in an effort to discredit his arguments.

He fur바카라사이트r warns of 바카라사이트 ¡°chilling effects¡± on 바카라사이트 intellectual life of public universities if 바카라사이트 request is successful and 바카라사이트 university is required to release 바카라사이트 emails. This would ¡°undermine 바카라사이트 university¡¯s longstanding reputation for defending academic freedom,¡± he adds.

sarah.cunnane@tsleducation.com