BLESS THE STUDENTS – AT 9:47 A.M. ET:  Reader Sam Indorante alerts us to a terrific story from Pennsylvania State University, showing that there's hope for the younger generation.  From campusreform.org:

Students, residents and community leaders will join together on Friday, February 12, to demand a fair and independent investigation of Michael Mann and Climategate. The University has a conflict of interest, and should not conduct an internal investigation without external oversight. The Rally for Academic Integrity will take place in front of the Hetzel Union Building (HUB) on Penn State’s University Park Campus (Pollock Road entrance) at 12:00. This Rally for Academic Integrity is jointly sponsored by PSU Young Americans for Freedom and The 9-12 Project of Central PA.

Mann is a key "climate" scientist.  He brings a fortune in grants to Penn State. 

Penn State's internal inquiry into Michael Mann's alleged scientific misconduct concluded with the virtual exoneration of his behavior, and ignored key evidence in the Climategate scandal. As feared, this inquiry was little more than a whitewash—an assault on academic integrity.

First, the university's internal review consisted of three Penn State employees who have strong incentives to protect the school's reputation and the millions of dollars it receives from global warming research grants. There was no external oversight.

Second, the review consisted of looking at a mere 47 emails (out of thousands in question), interviewing Mann, analyzing materials he submitted, and asking only two biased sources about his credibility. Penn State hardly conducted a "thorough investigation" of alleged wrongdoing by Mann.

COMMENT:  The students strike back.  Let's see if any faculty members have the courage to show up.  Then let's see if the president of the United States has the guts to call for an independent inquiry into the "science" of global warming. 

It's encouraging that students will take this initiative.  Of course, they're conservative students, so expect the usual name-calling.  But this is the first step in that thousand-mile journey. Universities will not reform themselves.  Alumni are reluctant to point out problems at alma mater, thus tarnishing the value of their degrees.  But students are naturally rebellious.  Now, maybe, that trait can be used to good purpose.

February 12, 2010