Students folow a lesson in a biology laboratory at the Roma Tre university on November 27, 2012 in Rome. About 870 teachers are working in the eight faculties of the University. AFP PHOTO / TIZIANA FABI (Photo credit should read TIZIANA FABI/AFP via …
The Trump administration is being criticized over reports that the White House has dismissed multiple, and possibly all, members of the National Science Board.
What we know:
On Saturday, the Washington Post reported that members of the independent board were sent a message dismissing them. Screenshots sent to the Post read: "On behalf of President Donald J. Trump, I’m writing to inform you that your position as a member of the National Science Board is terminated, effective immediately."
The ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, California Rep. Zoe Lofgren, released a statement that cited multiple sources when stating that all members had been ousted.
What we don't know:
The Post article did not state how many board members may have been terminated. Other reports, including the statement by Lofgren, indicated that it may have been all of them.
The White House has not confirmed the dismissals, nor has the administration provided a reason for such terminations. As of Sunday evening, the board’s website still shows the biographies of more than 20 members.
What they're saying:
Lofgren blasted the decision, describing it as "the latest stupid move made by a president who continues to harm science and American innovation." Describing the board as an apolitical institution that advises presidents on the future of the National Science Foundation, she wondered in the statement if President Donald Trump would fill the board with loyalists.
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The head of the Association of American Universities, which represents 71 leading research universities, said she was "deeply troubled" by the reported decision and pointed out that the board has not had a director in more than a year.
"At a time when China is investing heavily in science and has matched or surpassed the United States in several key fields, dismantling the NSB’s independent voice sends exactly the wrong signal," she continued. "It risks undermining the research, workforce development, and scientific leadership essential to U.S. competitiveness, national security, and economic growth."
The backstory:
The board, along with the National Science Foundation director, oversees the goals and functions of the foundation, which includes the duty to "recommend and encourage the pursuit of national policies for the promotion of research and education in science and engineering," according to the NSF website. Established by the "National Science Foundation Act of 1950," the board is also tasked with setting the foundation’s policies within the framework of national policies and serving as independent advisors to the president and Congress.
The board is designed to have 25 members who are appointed to six-year terms by the president. Its members represent a variety of scientific and engineering disciplines. The website explicitly states that the board is an apolitical institution.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from the Washington Post, the National Science Board, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, and the Association of American Universities. This story was reported from Orlando.