No surprise here.

The University of Idaho has put Marie Bulgin on paid administrative leave while investigating comments made by the controversial head of the U of I's Caine Veterinary Teaching Center.

Bulgin — a past president of the Idaho Wool Growers Association — has said that there is no evidence that wild bighorn sheep can contract disease from domestic sheep. This is a controversial claim in wildlife circles, and Bulgin has made that assertion in federal court and in legislative hearings, even though the Caine center has had evidence to the contrary since 1994.

Bulgin has said she was unaware of the unpublished study suggesting a disease link.

"(Bulgin) will not be involved in research projects on sheep and sheep-related diseases, nor publish or otherwise disseminate research materials regarding sheep or sheep-related diseases pending the outcome of the university’s investigation, the university said in a statement issued Wednesday.

I'm not sure the U of I had much of a choice — but the damage may already be done. This mess is already hurting the Caine center.

The Cody, Wyo.,-based Wild Sheep Foundation is rethinking whether it wants to fund Caine center research. "We would be better using our interest and funding to go somewhere else where they are going to truly do science and not pull this mess that Bulgin has done," foundation director Neil Thagard told the Lewiston Tribune.

University research relies on the ability to find funding partners. Donors simply aren't going to want to put their money into research labs that have a bias, real or perceived.

Beyond the what-did-she-know-and-when-did-she-know-it aspect of the Bulgin investigation, it's a good time for the U of I and incoming president Duane Nellis to take a good look at the wisdom of having a research lab director, such as Bulgin, who has close sides to industry.

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