Duke University has announced the closure of its 100-year-old herbarium within the next 2 to 3 years, citing financial constraints despite possessing an $11.6 billion endowment. This decision has led to widespread protests from the scientific community, both at Duke and internationally, including at UNAL. Critics argue that the university's claim of lacking resources is unfounded given its substantial endowment. The closure is part of a broader issue affecting herbariums globally. The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) and researchers are calling on Duke to reconsider its decision, highlighting the herbarium's importance to biodiversity science and its role as one of the largest in the United States. The decision-making process has been criticized for its lack of communication over several years. Calls for reconsideration have been amplified by AIBSbiology.
University officials say they cannot afford to maintain one of the largest herbariums in the United States. Researchers are urging Duke to reconsider. https://t.co/1EVv3OdA7S
University officials say they cannot afford to maintain one of the largest herbariums in the United States. Researchers are urging Duke to reconsider. https://t.co/RddIEfbzQq
AIBS Calls on Duke University to Reconsider Decision to Close Herbarium https://t.co/YpJHonpui0 via @AIBSbiology
Timeline of decision to close Duke Herbarium reveals limited communication over multiple years https://t.co/eHpfCTCjHs
From the @nytimes article on @DukeU @DukeBiology closure of the #herbarium: They cannot "afford" to support #biodiversity scientists...with an endowment that exceeds $11 billion https://t.co/Yp6fspsN2N
An institution with an $11.6 billion endowment cannot maintain a scientific collection because they "don't have the resources." Absurd argument from Duke University as they shut down an herbarium. https://t.co/5LWPrpy2SX
We have two major herbarium crises ongoing at the moment, both near and dear to my tropical botany heart. It’s really sad to see invaluable infrastructure crumble, even while actively loved and used at both Duke and UNAL 💔 https://t.co/BmtdInM3sq
Duke University announced this week that its iconic 100-year-old herbarium will be closing in the next 2 or 3 years, a decision that immediately sparked protests from scientists at the university and elsewhere. https://t.co/lOgwyRDv2e