Harvard’s Gay Responds to Plagiarism Charges: “I stand by the integrity of my scholarship!” Can you believe this woman?
In recent days, Harvard University President Claudine Gay has found herself at the center of a growing storm, with controversies surrounding her comments on campus antisemitism, allegations of discriminatory hiring practices, and accusations of plagiarism in her Ph.D. dissertation.
BREAKING: The National Association of Scholars calls on Harvard to remove Claudine Gay as president of the university. The esteemed group notes Gay’s “shoddy professional work,” “record of plagiarism,” and “promotion of racist policies.” Momentum is building. – Chris Rufo
The firestorm ignited when Gay responded with a brief “It can be, depending on the context” to a question about whether calling for the “genocide of Jews” violated the university’s codes of conduct. Following the Harvard Crimson interview, Gay issued an apology, but the fallout has been relentless.
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman, a Harvard alumnus, has called for Gay’s resignation, asserting that she has caused more damage to the university’s reputation than any individual in its nearly 500-year history. In an open letter to Harvard’s governing boards of directors, Ackman reiterated his demand for Gay’s removal, claiming she has fueled an “explosion of antisemitism and hate on campus” and overseen discriminatory hiring practices.
Ackman’s allegations extend to accusing Gay of plagiarism in her Ph.D. dissertation. Research published by Christopher Rufo alleges that Gay lifted entire paragraphs almost verbatim from other sources, including works by Lawrence Bobo, Franklin Gilliam, Richard Shingles, Susan Howell, and Deborah Fagan. The research argues that Gay failed to use quotation marks and relied on trivial synonym substitutions while reproducing these passages.
Screenshots posted by Rufo on his X account highlight the similarities between Gay’s dissertation and the original works, prompting questions about potential violations of Harvard’s academic integrity policy. Rufo concludes by calling for an investigation by Harvard’s Board of Overseers, emphasizing the dissertation’s significance as the cornerstone of an academic career.
BREAKING: Harvard president Claudine Gay responds to the plagiarism scandal by telling the Boston Globe that she “stand[s] by the integrity of [her] scholarship.” Note that she did not specifically deny the allegation of plagiarism, nor explain repeated violations of Harvard’s own written academic integrity policies. Bottom line: Gay’s work clearly violates Harvard’s own standards. This scandal is not going away. – Chris Rufo
As the controversies intensify, more than 500 faculty members have signed a letter urging the Harvard Corporation not to remove Gay. In this letter, faculty members advocate for defending the university’s independence and resisting external pressures that contradict Harvard’s commitment to academic freedom. They argue that upholding a culture of free inquiry within the diverse community requires resistance to external influences.
Next shoe has dropped. ‘This is Definitely Plagiarism’: Harvard University President Claudine Gay Copied Entire Paragraphs From Others’ Academic Work and Claimed Them as Her Own https://t.co/92qmf6neAl
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) December 11, 2023
The faculty’s show of support raises questions about how these supporters will react to the plagiarism allegations. While they emphasize the importance of defending academic freedom and resisting external pressures, the accusations of plagiarism may test the limits of their support for President Gay.
As the Harvard community grapples with these challenges, the university’s leadership faces a crucial decision regarding Gay’s tenure. The allegations of antisemitism, discriminatory hiring practices, and plagiarism have created a complex situation that demands a careful and thorough examination of the facts. The outcome will not only impact Harvard’s reputation but will also send a message about the university’s commitment to academic integrity, diversity, and free inquiry.
NEW: Claudine Gay is listed as the top authority in Harvard Divinity School’s student handbook, which clearly states the rules for plagiarism. Claudine Gay’s dissertation fails to meet this standard. Her work violates the exact rules that she set for her students. – Chris Rufo (see below)
Major Points Discussed:
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- Harvard President Claudine Gay faces mounting pressure following her response to a question about the “genocide of Jews,” leading to calls for her resignation, including from billionaire investor Bill Ackman.
- Ackman accuses Gay of causing unprecedented levels of antisemitism and hate on campus and overseeing discriminatory hiring practices, urging Harvard’s governing boards to remove her from office.
- Allegations of plagiarism in Gay’s Ph.D. dissertation have surfaced, with claims that she lifted paragraphs from various sources without proper attribution, prompting calls for an investigation by Harvard’s Board of Overseers.
- Christopher Rufo’s research reveals instances where Gay used verbatim language from other authors, violating Harvard’s academic integrity policy, as he argues that the dissertation is a crucial aspect of an academic career.
- Despite the controversies, over 500 faculty members have signed a letter supporting Gay and urging the Harvard Corporation to defend the university’s independence, resist external pressures, and maintain a culture of free inquiry. The plagiarism allegations raise questions about the extent of this support amid the broader challenges facing Harvard’s leadership.
Harvard president Claudine Gay accused of plagiarism but says she stands by her work https://t.co/0p8pXG6N2R pic.twitter.com/dRPGXgl2vV
— New York Post (@nypost) December 11, 2023
Al Santana, freelance writer for Whatfinger News
Comments – Threads – Links
- SCOOP: Rufo’s examples are just the tip of the iceberg. In four articles published between 1993 and 2017, including her dissertation, Gay paraphrased or quoted almost 20 authors without proper attribution, in some cases lifting entire paragraphs verbatim – Washington Free Beacon
- Did 500 Harvard professors really just sign a letter saying they want Claudine Gay to remain Harvard President within 24 hours of her Doctoral dissertation being exposed for potentially having numerous instances of plagiarism? This shows it’s not about academic integrity or student safety It’s about woke, and Claudine is being given special privileges b/c she aligns politically – DC Draino
- This is the problem with academia today. Despite the obvious & flagrant wrongdoing, despite the total incompetence, despite the info that emerged about Harvard’s president only likely attaining that role due to both DEI & plagiarism scandals academics in America don’t care. – Donald Trump Jr.
- ‘This is Definitely Plagiarism‘: Harvard University President Claudine Gay Copied Entire Paragraphs From Others’ Academic Work and Claimed Them as Her Own – Cernovich
- If she’s only published 11 articles and 4 of them contain plagiarism, then about 36% of Claudine Gay’s entire corpus of work is BS. Clearly the most qualified Harvard president of all time. – Max Meyer
