Ualbany must restore Carpenter’s status

What in the world is University at Albany President Havidan Rodriguez thinking? And why isn’t State University of New York Chancellor John B. King intervening to right this wrong?

As reported in the Times Union, Dr. David O.

Carpenter, a physician and professor of environmental health sciences at Ualbany, has been stripped of his teaching duties. This happened after the Monsanto Company submitted Freedom of Information requests asking about Carpenter serving as an expert witness in trials involving Monsanto. Rather than personally keeping expert witness fees, he gives the funds to graduate students.

Carpenter has written close to 400 peer-reviewed scientific papers and six books.

It is not unusual for professors to serve as expert witnesses; many professors do this. What is unusual is Carpenter’s courage in standing up to corporate polluter Monsanto.

Carpenter is an international expert on the health impacts of PCBS. The Monsanto Company manufactured PCBS and has been taken to court by people damaged by PCBS. Carpenter’s expertise and integrity are unparalleled.

It is fairly obvious what is going on here: A giant corporate polluter is attempting to silence a smart scientist and beloved teacher.

What is hard to understand is why SUNY is letting this happen. SUNY needs to immediately restore Carpenter’s teaching status, apologize to him and inform other SUNY professors that they will not be subjected to this bullying when they are standing up for a clean and healthy environment.

Carpenter is an environmental hero. He deserves better than this, and so do his students. Judith Enck

Poestenkill The writer is a former EPA Regional Administrator.