If you study evolutionary biology, no Smart Grants for you

August 22, 2006

I hope Kevin Drum won’t mind too much if I blatantly steal borrow his post from this afternoon, but this Chronicle of Higher Education piece is simply breathtaking.

The U.S. Department of Education has a new federal grant program, called “Smart Grants,” which are geared towards rewarding students majoring in engineering, mathematics, science, or certain foreign languages. Unfortunately, if your field of study happens to be evolutionary biology, you may experience some trouble receiving funding.

The department has an index of classification numbers — referred to as “CIP codes,” for the Classification of Instructional Programs — for all academic areas of instruction,

Under that classification scheme, there is a heading for “Ecology, Evolution, Systematics and Population Biology,” under which 10 biological fields are defined. For instance, ecology is 26.1301, and evolutionary biology is 26.1303.

But on a list that defines majors eligible for the grants, issued by the department in May, one of those 10 is missing. On that list, the classification numbers rise in order from 26.1301 to 26.1309 — with the exception of a blank line where 26.1303, or evolutionary biology, would fall.

Lawrence Krauss, a physics professor at Case Western Reserve University (and, full disclosure, someone I’ve talked to on a series of occasions), described this as “a serious omission,” but added, “I’m not making any accusations.”

Can I?

Officials from the Department of Education who could comment on the matter were not available, but a spokeswoman said she suspected that the absence of evolutionary biology was a “clerical consolidation of some kind,” and that evolution might fall under other topics.

Given the administration’s track record on evolution, and on science in general, I’m afraid we’re well past giving the administration the benefit of the doubt.

I mean really. Ten lines between 26.1301 to 26.1309 — and one specific blank line where evolutionary biology should be? From an administration led by a man who openly questions modern science? A “clerical consolidation”?

Please.

Breathtaking ?? Steve, have been on vacation for like 6 years.
Federal funding and evolution go together about as well a Bush and competence.

  • I don’t know how these people are getting away with this stuff. Don’t we have some type of equal protection clause in our Constitution? Didn’t the Bushies swear to uphold that constitution?

  • Smart Grants?

    Makes me wonder about the Bushites.

    I love how blatent this is. Should be used in our advertising, really.

  • And this—from the simian who brought you No Child Left Behind”—is a surprise? I’m still wondering how they haven’t gotten around to cutting federal grants/loans assistance for college students studying anything not related to what Herr Bush wants us to think….

  • It’s audacious in its petiness. It shows to what extent they are sifting through our government to impose their right wing views. It is the thousands of small acts like these that weaken the foundation. They are like termites. They must have learned that from the bug man, Tom Delay.

  • This “War Against Science” (a term I just made up) is central to the NeoCon agenda. An educated electorate is one that questions … well, pretty much everything.

    And when people start asking questions, they’ll naturally want answers. And when the answer given is complete bull****, then people start to question pretty much everything else.

    The NeoCons can’t have that, because every answer they give is utter crap. So their best solution is to dumb down the populace in the hopes no one starts to ask those aforementioned pesky questions.

    It’s the reason a white girl who’s been dead for a decade is dominating the news, while the Conyers report has gone unreported … it’s why more people vote for American Idol than the president of our country … and why, if things don’t change, this country is screwed.

  • Also in the Chronicle of Higher Ed article, “For unknown reasons, “behavioral sciences” and “exercise psychology” are also absent.” Just sayin’…

  • But for CB, I wouldn’t have come across this.

    It is astounding, the sheer volume of information, and the rapidity with which it is transmitted throughout the Internet. Reminds me of the human brain, consisting of 100 billion neurons at birth, wired by some 1000 trillion connections by age three, producing a conscious, intelligent mind. Makes one wonder if the Internet will someday acquire it’s own intelligence and consciousness. Fodder for Scifi tales.

    Makes one wonder, in turn, whether God, if there is one, is nothing more than a super Internet created by millions of civilizations over billions of years. Mind boggling.

    Now back to politics. Couldn’t resist a diversion. It really struck me how this thing is just so empowering for ordinary people.

  • OMG, Jim..I am glad that I had already put my coffee cup down before reading that comment.

    I hate how this administration has made me, and thousands of other reasonable people, feel like stark raving conspiracy theorists.

  • But for CB, I wouldn’t have come across this.

    It is astounding, the sheer volume of information, and the rapidity with which it is transmitted throughout the Internet. Reminds me of the human brain, consisting of 100 billion neurons at birth, wired by some 1000 trillion connections by age three, producing a conscious, intelligent mind. Makes one wonder if the Internet will someday acquire it’s own intelligence and consciousness. Fodder for Scifi tales.

    Makes one wonder, in turn, whether God, if there is one, is nothing more than a super Internet created by millions of civilizations over billions of years. Mind boggling.

    Looks like you’re a big fan of GRACIOUS’ Web site … or … um … you gonna eat the rest of the those Funyons? Dude …

    😉

  • Actually that website was created by one of my progeny but I think he did a pretty good job. I am pleased to take the credit, but I regret that it is so out of date. As to Hark’s definition of God, it’s a little Jungian, but it makes sense to me. If we are “made in God’s image” and our brain opperates in the manner Hark describes, then who is to say that is not the case. One thing I am pretty sure of is that God is not some sinister spirit wispering in W’s ear telling him to blow up middle eastern countries, and conquer all the oil in th world.

  • If “smart” = “intelligent”, then the “Smart Grant” should support the study of “intelligent design”, not evolution. QED.

  • If “smart” = “small minded and rarely truthful” then they should definitely invest in some evolution.

  • A “clerical consolidation?” Yes! … if one looks at the definition of clerical as “of or relating to the clergy,” and consolidation as”strengthening one’s position or power.” So if the nice person on the other end of the phone meant that the ommission was an act of a religious person strengthening their position or power, I’d say the answer makes perfect sense.

  • Before you get too many of your feathers a flutter over conspiracies, you need to incorporate the 8 other missing lines as well. If you come up with a coherent explanation for all of them then you may be on to something. Otherwise, clerical error, in the modern vernacular, is the most likely explanation. I would be interested in someone going to the trouble of looking up and listing the programs for all 9 missing lines in the complete list.

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