Hurricane expert’s firing criticized

• By JORDAN BLUM AND ALLEN M. JOHNSON JR.
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Apr 17, 2009 - Page: 1A

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Clapping and chanting “L-S-U — Shame on you!” dozens of sign-waving demonstrators in New Orleans on Thursday protested the university’s firing of hurricane expert Ivor van Heerden.

A mannequin, dressed in college preppy attire, held a sign that read — “LSU stop gagging experts.” A swatch of large black tape over the dummy’s mouth helped to illustrate the demonstrators’ message.

The protest came in response to LSU’s move last week to let van Heerden go after his contract expires in May 2010.

During a break at the LSU Board of Supervisors’ meeting Thursday, LSU Chancellor Mike Martin said he did not learn of the action until after it happened but said he would not intervene.

Van Heerden, who also was stripped of his title as deputy director of the LSU Hurricane Center, became prominent after Hurricane Katrina for leading “Team Louisiana” to inspect the levee system.

He was outspoken and uncompromising in criticizing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the many levee failures that caused massive flooding. He said LSU administrators have long sought to silence him because of his criticisms of the federal government and fears that LSU would lose federal funds.

Sandy Rosenthal, founder of levees.org and an organizer of the protest rally, called van Heerden a “hero.”

“People who live here have lost an expert voice on hurricane and flood protection issues,” said Rosenthal, whose group has been dogging the Army Corps over the failure of the levees. “What will we do the next time a storm comes? There will be no independent voice representing us, the citizens.”

She urged New Orleanians to protest van Heerden’s dismissal by calling or e-mailing Gov. Bobby Jindal and signing an online petition to Martin.

Van Heerden, who lives in Baton Rouge, did not attend the New Orleans protest. He said he is still holding out hope LSU will reconsider. He plans to appeal and said he is considering litigation.

“They gave me absolutely no reason and said they didn’t have to, but that it wasn’t performance based,” van Heerden said. “The Hurricane Center is very well respected.”

Van Heerden, who came to LSU in 1994, said he got the news last week from College of Engineering Dean David Constant, who did not return a phone message. But van Heerden said Constant told him the decision was made at higher levels at LSU and had nothing to do with pending state budget cuts at LSU.

Van Heerden said he was told not to testify in the pending multibillion-dollar trial against the Army Corps of Engineers over flooding caused by the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet, called Mr. Go.