One week after escaping punishment from New York University over a Twitter message rejecting obese doctoral students, a visiting psychology professor is under investigation by NYU for claiming the tweet was part of a research project.
The professor, Geoffrey F. Miller, posted the message on June 2, telling “obese PhD applicants” they would not have the willpower to complete a dissertation if they lacked the willpower to control their appetite. He deleted the tweet the same day and apologized for it.
The University of New Mexico, where Mr. Miller is an associate professor of psychology, said last week that it was “deeply concerned” by the Twitter message and was evaluating its response. But New York University, where Mr. Miller is currently a visiting professor of business, had said it planned no action.
NYU changed its position, however, after Mr. Miller explained his action to university officials in New Mexico by saying he had sent the Twitter message as part of a research project.
“That prompted us to look into it,” a New York University spokesman, Philip Lentz, said on Monday of the research claim. “And that’s what we’re doing.”
In NYU’s original response to Mr. Miller’s Twitter message, Mr. Lentz had said that professors sometimes make controversial statements. This particular statement was regrettable, but Mr. Miller apologized for it and NYU considered the matter closed, Mr. Lentz said last week.
The University of New Mexico took a different position from the start, issuing a statement saying, “We are investigating every aspect of this incident and will take appropriate action.”
Mr. Miller’s assertion of a continuing research project could be problematic for him because scientists are generally required to obtain prior approval for any research involving human subjects.
Mr. Miller did not seek approval for such research from the institutional review boards at either NYU or New Mexico, spokesmen at the two universities said. According to Mr. Lentz, Mr. Miller said such IRB approval was not necessary under his own understanding of federal law.
The review boards at both universities are now investigating Mr. Miller’s explanations and hope to reach a joint conclusion about whether such work needed their approval, Mr. Lentz said. The boards have set no timetable for reaching a conclusion, though they hope to reach a resolution this month, he said.
Mr. Miller, who did not respond to a request for comment, has expressed controversial views in the past, arguing that too many people do not exercise or eat properly, and praising China for its pursuit of eugenics.
Mr. Miller’s visiting professorship at NYU ends in August, when he is due to return to New Mexico.
