SVP action on Dr. R, to admonish or to help members?

[Sebastian Apesteguia <sebapesteguia@yahoo.com.ar>]

Hi, I don't have idea of who is Dr. R., his behaviour,
the group he studies, or the internal problems between
Dr. R and the public office responsible of providing
the permitts, so perhaps I should not give here my
opinion. However, as far as i understood, the Dr. R
behaviour does not compromete professional standards
in collection of fossils, problems with field data, or
fossil curation, but the work devoid of an
institutional permitt, which is, of course, a severe
fault, isn't it?
This way, if the public office provides logical or
strong reasons to deny the permision, this is OK, and
the SVP Executive Committee is expected to act as
shown in this comunication but, SVP Executive
Committee knows the reasons given by the office to
deny the permitt?. I am not saying that Dr. R. did
things well, but a denied permitt should be properly
done, we are professionals!
I know many cases (especially in Argentina) where the
public offices that must regulate the permitts, tied
to internal political problems and supported by (I
sadly have to say it) land-jealous paleontologists,
deny permitts to professionals.
Shouldn't SVP help professional paleontologists in
that case, supporting paleontologists with a letter
and suggesting public institutions (inside or outside
USA,as SVP is international) to provide the permitts?
I know public office will probably not hear the claim,
but external support can help in such cases.
I know SVP Executive Committee have many things to do,
and perhaps would be reluctant to give an opinion in
problems outside its reach, but it could also be
helpful in those cases.
I mean, not only to admonish, but also to help.

Sebastian  


 --- mkirkaldy@aol.com escribió:

> SVP has a statement on its website about the Dr.
> Rensberger-Burke 
> Museum collection problems:
> http://www.vertpaleo.org/
> 
> "The SVP Executive Committee has received the report
> and 
> recommendations of the Ethics Education Committee
> regarding allegations 
> concerning Dr. John Rensberger, formerly at the
> Burke Museum, 
> University of Washington."
> 
> <SNIP>
> "There was some divergence of professional opinion
> in the reports 
> regarding the first two allegations, but the SVP
> Ethics Education 
> Committee concluded that the fossil collections
> resulting from Dr. 
> Rensbergerâ??s fieldwork are properly deposited in a
> public institution 
> (the Burke Museum) and have been well curated by Dr.
> Rensberger and the 
> current curatorial staff of the Burke Museum."
> 
> "Regarding the third allegation, it is clear that on
> a number of 
> occasions, Dr. Rensberger neglected to obtain proper
> authorization to 
> conduct paleontological fieldwork on public lands.
> Failure to obtain 
> proper collecting permits was in violation of both
> the SVP Ethics Bylaw 
> and the regulations of the public land-management
> agencies. This 
> omission was inappropriate and undermines the
> reputation of our 
> profession. If Dr. Rensberger continues to conduct
> paleontological 
> fieldwork in this manner, the Executive Committee
> will recommend 
> termination of his membership from the Society,
> following the 
> procedures outlined in the SVP Bylaws, Article 1,
> Section 6."
> <SNIP>
> 
> Mary
>
________________________________________________________________________
> Check out the new AOL.  Most comprehensive set of
> free safety and 
> security tools, free access to millions of
> high-quality videos from 
> across the web, free AOL Mail and more.
> 


Lic. Sebastián Apesteguía

Sección de Paleontología de Vertebrados 
Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales 'B. Rivadavia'
Av. Ángel Gallardo 470 (1405) Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA
Tel-fax:5411-49826595 i.193, paleoninja@yahoo.com.ar

Área de Paleontología. Fundación de Historia Natural 'Félix de Azara',
Dto. de Ciencias Naturales y Antropología, CEBBAD, Univ.Maimónides, 
V. Virasoro 732 (1405), Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA
Tel-fax: 5411-49051100 i. 1228, secretaria@fundacionazara.org.ar 
www.fundacionazara.org.ar

Departamento de Paleontología. Fundación Patagónica de Ciencias Naturales, 
Museo Patagónico de Ciencias Naturales,
General Roca, Río Negro, ARGENTINA


        
        
                
__________________________________________________
Preguntá. Respondé. Descubrí.
Todo lo que querías saber, y lo que ni imaginabas,
está en Yahoo! Respuestas (Beta).
¡Probalo ya! 
http://www.yahoo.com.ar/respuestas