Forwarded by Jane Clark

Last week, Fred Kirschenmann was given 48 hours to resign as director of the
Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and to accept a position as the
"Distinguished Fellow" of the center.  A new director was appointed before
Dr. Kirschenmann was given notice. Over the past five years, Dr.
Kirschenmann has worked tirelessly and with great dedication to the vision
and work of the center. He has been highly respected by the Center's staff.

The reason for Fred Kirschenmann's removal from the directorship of the
Center seems clear. Fred Kirschenmann had not placated agribusiness. They've
been ferociously lobbying the dean's office for the past year and a half to
get him to stop his work on Ag in the Middle and other projects that benefit
farmers and the land.

If you see fit to protest Fred Kirschenmann's removal as Director of the
Leopold Center for Sustainble Agriculture, you might make the following
points:

1) This is a violation of academic freedom;
2) Fred Kirschenmann's tenure brought hope and opportunity for Iowa's
farmers. Removing him caves in to the old paradigm of factory farms and
environmental degradation.
3) Agribusiness should not be allowed to dominate the agenda.  Its time to
establish a public interest agenda that honors the original mission of the
center and mandate of Aldo Leopold's philosophy.
4) The next dean of agriculture at Iowa State should have the guts to stand
up for a healthy economy for farmers and a healthy land for all of Iowans.
This is what Fred stood for.

Dr. Kirschenmann has worked tirelessly and with great dedication to the
mission of the Center. He has not only brought hope and opportunity to
farmers in the Midwest, but his vision and skills have also reached into all
corners of the country where people who deeply love the land and their
communities have seen new ways forward that promise to reverse the
environmental degradation and economic decline that they face today.

By removing Dr. Kirschenmann from this position, Iowa State University is
allowing outside business interests to effectively control the agenda of a
prominent American university, thereby further eroding the once unique
independent status of academic institutions in American life. It is
particularly troubling that this should occur at a Center established to
honor the insights and teachings of Aldo Leopold.

Letters can be sent to:

Benjamin J. Allen
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
Iowa State University
Office of the Provost, 1550 Beardshear Hall,
Ames, Iowa 50011-2021
Phone 515-294-9591, [log in to unmask]

Gregory L. Geoffroy
President, Iowa State University
1750 Beardshear Hall
Ames, Iowa 50011
(515) 294-2042
[log in to unmask]

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