paleonet Palaeontology in Berlin

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Dear all,

The following message from Prof. Schultze regarding the Berlin situation came in today. Although the deal is not perfect, it is clear that "our" letters helped saving the paleozoology professorship at the museum!! This result tells us that we can make a difference by "educating" administrators. Nice job folks! Let's hope that the museum will indeed get a strong paleontologist.

Cheers and best wishes,
Kenshu

>>> "Schultze, H.P." <H-P.Schultze@MUSEUM.HU-Berlin.de> 06/22/02 11:40AM >>>
Dear colleagues,

I like to thank all for the overwhelming support which you gave to
the cause of paleontology at the Natural History Museum in Berlin and
paleontology in general. Over 200 letters were sent to the authorities. I
must emphasize that every letter was important because now the professorship will be advertised as Professor of Paleozoology but still with the addition "systematics and biogeography (including molecular and morphological aspects)". The addition by the President of the University was accepted by the last deciding institution, the Kuratorium, even though all lower university institutions had not agreed on that specification. Letters to the head of the Kuratorium, Professor Mayr, Darmstadt, by Dr. Schultka, member of the Academic Senat, Prof. Bettina Reichenbacher, Munich, and myself could not prevent the decision. Now we hope that the selection committee will find a strong paleontologist who could please the President of the University. We will continue to fight to get a replacement in kind.

With many thanks for your help

Hans-Peter

_________________________________
Kenshu Shimada, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Environmental Science Program
and Department of Biological Sciences
DePaul University
2325 N. Clifton Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614, USA
AND
Research Associate in Paleontology
Sternberg Museum of Natural History
Fort Hays State University
Hays, KS 67601, USA