2 Views, 1 'Climategate' Rally On Penn State Campus

Nearly 100 students, local leaders and residents gathered for a rally surrounding the "Climategate Controversy" on Penn State’s University Park Campus Friday.

Two different groups rallied outside the Hetzel Union Building at noon; one group calling for an external investigation into Dr. Michael Mann’s leaked emails, the other supporting the professor.

The rally came on the heels of released results from an internal peer investigation earlier this week.

The committee decided that there is no substantial information to pursue an investigation into three of the four misconduct allegations against Dr. Mann.

Leading the local Young Americans for Freedom group requesting an external investigation, Samuel Settle told WJAC-TV Friday that he doubts the committee of peers could be unbiased.

“For the sake of the university, for the sake of his reputation, for the sake of our reputations as students and community members, we need to come out and make it clear to the university that this is not what we consider acceptable,” said Settle. “We ask; we demand an external investigation of this."

Bette Jackson believes that an independent probe into academic misconduct allegations is necessary.

"I know if I were Dr. Mann, I would want impartial people to take a thorough look at my career and make sure that there were no blemishes on it," said Jackson.

Dozens of others at today's rally said the outcry from certain groups is nothing more than a distraction, including Peter Buckland.

"This going after Michael Mann is really just kind of this way of manufacturing a controversy which is meant to fuel denial of climate change," said Buckland. "It is probably the greatest challenge to civilization that human beings have ever faced."

National Wildlife Federation member Ed Perry told WJAC-TV Friday that the international coverage on the story is damaging Mann's professional reputation.

"He's well respected in the science community and this group is doing nothing more than assassinating the character of one of Pennsylvania's finest climate scientists," said Perry.

Penn State Public Information Director Lisa Powers insists that internal peer investigations into academic misconduct allegations are affective.

"These groups are basically saying that Penn State and its faculty are not capable of being ethical, fair or responsible," said Powers. "We take issue with that. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our faculty adhere to the highest standards and they take great pride in the work they are doing on behalf of society."

"We have five well-respected, internationally known scientists that make up the investigatory committee," said Powers. "We have full faith in their ability to undertake this task, knowing the enormous importance that scholarly activity and research play in their own lives, at Penn State and in the world. They understand the responsibilities of scientists, have impeccable credentials, have no conflict in this issue and are well respected. We plan to follow our well-established policy in determining the facts of this matter."