OSU faculty committee says Hargis should consult researchers before dropping projects

Members agree Oklahoma State president has authority to refuse research projects

By Sarah Morris Stillwater NewsPress

STILLWATER, Okla. — A six-member research committee says Oklahoma State administrators should meet with faculty on animal research policies.

The committee’s recommendation follows President Burns Hargis’ refusal of a federally funded project involving anthrax vaccine and baboons. Hargis’ decision to turn away the project stirred criticism on and off campus.

The research committee is part of OSU’s Faculty Council.

“This controversy does raise questions specific to research involving nonhuman primates, and we believe that the president should engage with the faculty and appropriate administrators regarding future policies,” an 11-page committee finding said.

The committee found that Hargis had the authority to not participate in the project involving the effects of anthrax on baboons with the primates euthanized afterward.

In the project, OSU and its animal biosecurity level 3 facility at the Center of Veterinary Health Sciences would have served as a fee-for-service vendor to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and Boston University.

The Faculty Council research committee began the project a month ago at the Faculty Council’s request. Dr. James E. Smay, the committee’s chairman, said recently the committee determined the extent of scientific merit review, and administrative and logistical issues.

The report included issues such as OSU not yet being accredited by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International, which was not a requirement for the proposed research, and Boston University’s refusal to add the principal investigator (and their employee) Dr. Shinichiro Kurosawa to their select agents and toxins registration with the Centers for Disease Control.

The administrative and logistical issues were the primary reasons for Hargis’ decision, according to the report. The report said important pathogen research should be conducted carefully with the highest possible standards such as accreditation.

“We believe these facts support this assertion by the president and provide reasonable basis for the decision he made. We acknowledge that reasonable persons may observe the same evidence and reach a different conclusion,” the report read. “We further assert that the president’s decision was made without sufficient consultation with the faculty or the responsible administration.”

The report found Hargis’ decision to deny the project flawed in two ways. There was insufficient consultation with appropriate stakeholders and the report cited “sweeping statements signifying a change in OSU policy without any faculty input.”

However, the report said Hargis acknowledged the mistake of not communicating well with all faculty while the latter was corrected shortly after.