Laurentian
University Faculty Association Statement
November 30,
2007
On
Friday 24, 2006, Michel Béchard, speaking for the university,
denied a request from the Discovery Channel to film
a demonstration of Michael Persinger’s past
research on Laurentian University property.
The
Discovery Channel is a well-known U.S. TV channel which broadcasts on
scientific issues throughout
North America.
It had
approached Dr. Persinger to be part of its best Evidence series and had
asked him to do an on-camera interview and demonstrate his past
research on how to understand the complex relationships between
behaviour, thought, and brain activity and how they can be affected by
physiologically patterned magnetic fields.
The
results of this research have been widely reported elsewhere, including
on the CTV National News On July 4, 2001, when anchor
Lloyd Robertson introduced the piece by commenting, “Can spiritual
experiences be simulated through science? Michael Persinger, a
university professor in
Northern
Ontario, is using an
experiment to prove they can. Volunteers are fitted with a magnetized
helmet which apparently arouses the brain and triggers a state of
spiritual euphoria. The research is gaining international attention.”
On
Thursday 30 November, President Judith Woodsworth explained on CBC
radio that the media was welcome to interview Dr. Persinger but not to
film the demonstration of his past research. She justified the decision
not to permit the filming of this demonstration on the basis that the
“experiment” had not been approved by the university’s research ethics
board. “The problem really is with filming an experiment on human
subjects, and we are held to much higher standards these days than we
were in the past. There are rules that are applied to research that's
conducted on human subjects. Every experiment has to be approved by a
university research ethics board, and to our knowledge this research
that Dr. Persinger is doing has not been approved by the board.,” she
said.
By
referring to the research demonstration as “an experiment on human
subjects” that is part of ongoing research, the President has
mis-represented the nature of the situation, LUFA alleges. In LUFA’s
opinion, the Discovery Channel was not trying to film any actual
research but simply profile past research results, already published in
peer-reviewed journals and previously approved by the university
Research Ethics Review Board.
Commenting
on the University’s unprecedented decision to deny access to a film
crew, Jim Turk, the Executive
Director of the Canadian Association of University Teachers, noted in a
letter to University President Judith Woodsworth that, “In the 50 year
history of CAUT, we are unaware of any other university administration
taking such a position when media requests interviews with faculty
members. Your administration’s action is a
flagrant violation of academic freedom and the tradition of openness
which characterizes universities.”
He added
that, “Already CAUT has begun a preliminary investigation into what
appears to be unacceptable university treatment of Dr. Persinger and
his students—actions by the university that appear to violate norms of
procedural fairness and natural justice.” He urged Dr. Woodsworth “not
to compound the problems by persisting with the media ban.” Turk also urged her to rescind the prohibition
and to apologize to representatives of the Discovery Channel and to Dr.
Persinger. In his words, “Your failure to do so would cause unfavorable
light to be shone on Laurentian University, something we cannot imagine
is in the university’s interests.”
Laurentian
University Faculty Association
Association
des professeurs de l'Université Laurentienne
Ramsey
Lake Road/Chemin du lac Ramsey
Sudbury,
Ontario
P3E 2C6
(705)
675-1151 ext./ poste 4290
www.lufapul.ca
lufa@laurentian.ca
apul@laurentienne.ca
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