A faculty panel at Oregon State University has issued a draft report criticizing the management of the university’s College of Forestry and citing its dean, Hal Salwasser, for his role in an academic controversy this year over a journal article by a graduate student. The panel concluded that the dean had shown poor judgment in handling the case, The Oregonian reported today.

The student, Daniel C. Donato, led a group of researchers that published an article in the journal Science examining the use of a logging technique that clears dead wood from a forest after a fire. The paper concluded that the practice, known as salvage logging, does not help the forest regenerate, as the technique’s proponents argue, and could increase the risk of future fires.

That conclusion ignited a storm of criticism at the college. Several faculty members and Mr. Salwasser asked Science to publish a rebuttal of the findings with Mr. Donato’s article. The journal declined (The Chronicle, February 9 and April 21). The research also faced criticism from members of the U.S. House of Representatives, who passed a bill this week to speed the use of salvage logging after fires in national forests (The Chronicle, May 18).

The panel’s report concluded that Mr. Salwasser had worked against Mr. Donato’s article, was closely involved with the timber industry, and violated university policies by endorsing the federal legislation. An all-college meeting will consider the report on Wednesday and hold a vote on Mr. Salwasser’s ability to lead the college. The university and Mr. Salwasser will then issue a response, the newspaper reported.