Report Reveals Instances of Plagiarism
A report published by the Manhattan Institute’s Christopher Rufo and Karlstack’s Chris Brunet has alleged plagiarism by Harvard President Gay. The report details multiple instances in which Gay allegedly lifted sentences and paragraphs from various scholars without proper citation or quotation marks.
Severe Violation of Academic Integrity
The report analyzed 29 potential instances of plagiarism, uncovering ten cases in which complete sentences and paragraphs were used with only minor changes to a few words. Scholars who were cited in the report noted that Gay not only violated her university’s policy on plagiarism but also a fundamental principle of academic integrity.
Reprehensible and Inexcusable
Former Boston University associate provost Peter Wood condemned Gay’s actions, stating that if it were a single instance, it might be excused as a hasty mistake. However, as the examples multiply, the excuse vanishes. Rutgers University social psychologist Lee Jussim also affirmed that what Gay has done is unquestionably plagiarism.
Examples of Plagiarism
The report highlights specific instances of plagiarism, including the use of a full paragraph from a paper by Franklin Gilliam and Lawrence Bobo in Gay’s doctoral dissertation without proper attribution. In another case, Gay lifted paragraphs from a Harvard professor and her Ph.D. classmate, making only minor alterations. The report also reveals instances where Gay took passages from various scholars without citation or quotation marks.
Response from Harvard
Harvard University released a statement acknowledging the allegations of plagiarism as “a few instances of inadequate citation.” The university conducted an independent review of Gay’s work and found no violation of research misconduct standards. However, Gay has agreed to make corrections to her articles by inserting the necessary citations and quotation marks.
Backlash and Controversy
Gay, along with University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill and Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth, faced intense backlash after their appearance before Congress to address issues of antisemitism on their campuses. Gay’s response to a question about calls for Jewish genocide on campus drew criticism. Magill has since resigned from her position, but Harvard Corporation has announced that Gay will remain as president.
Conclusion
The allegations of plagiarism against Harvard President Gay have raised serious concerns about academic integrity. While the university found no violation of research misconduct standards, Gay has agreed to make corrections to her articles. The controversy surrounding Gay’s handling of antisemitism on campus adds to the growing scrutiny of her leadership.