[RightWingAtheist]

Pinging some of our resident scientists (I know I'm forgetting many people right now; if you can think of anyone else who would offer informed insights into this issue, feel free to ping them!)

[Physicist]

All I can tell you is that Jack Marburger is everything they say he is (with the term "they" not comprising the Union of Concerned Scientists, which by the way is remarkably thin on scientists). His abilities as a scientist, as a teacher of science, and as a scientific administrator are all legendary. But perhaps my perspective is skewed, since I first met him as an awestruck undergraduate at Stony Brook (class of '86).

[Right Wing Professor]

My reaction: the 'controversy' has been cooked up by a group of politically active, anti-Bush scientists. As a working scientist, the only impacts Bush has had on my research have been positive. Global warming and stem-cell research are first and foremost political issues.

Physicist is very positive about Marburger. I guess I wasn't as positive. I will say that while the chemists at Stony Brook weren't crazy about him (we felt Physics got all the perks), he's definitely better than the other chancellors I've had the misfortune to observe in action.