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Subject: Weekly Briefing: A college president's dissertation contains copied language. What did her institution say?
A college president’s dissertation contains copied language
Illustration by The Chronicle; Rich Janzaruk, Herald-Times, USA TODAY NETWORK, Imagn
Portions of Pamela Whitten’s doctoral dissertation appear to be copied from other academic research, according to a tip whose contents were verified by The Chronicle. More than three dozen instances in her dissertation seemed to borrow language without using quotation marks from at least 15 other research papers and books. However, there appeared to be no evidence that Whitten copied a scholar’s idea without attribution — the ultimate sin of academic plagiarism.
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A college president’s dissertation contains copied language
Illustration by The Chronicle; Rich Janzaruk, Herald-Times, USA TODAY NETWORK, Imagn
Portions of Pamela Whitten’s doctoral dissertation appear to be copied from other academic research, according to a tip whose contents were verified by The Chronicle. More than three dozen instances in her dissertation seemed to borrow language without using quotation marks from at least 15 other research papers and books. However, there appeared to be no evidence that Whitten copied a scholar’s idea without attribution — the ultimate sin of academic plagiarism. Read more, including how the university reacted, here.
How Trump’s executive orders could affect your college, or job. Hours into his second term President Donald J. Trump signed a flurry of executive orders. Among other things, the orders banned diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across the federal government, and the Office of Personnel Management later sent a memo directing all diversity staff in federal agencies be placed on paid leave and eventually laid off. The Trump administration’s hostility toward DEI could prompt some colleges to act preemptively, especially as federal funding is on the line, higher-education experts say. Our Jasper Smith reports.
Who wants to lead a red-state flagship anymore? Jay Hartzell recently announced that he would step down from leading the University of Texas at Austin and head to Southern Methodist University, a smaller, private institution. Public universities in deep-red states are under close scrutiny from conservative politicians. For some leaders, even those with the most-pristine academic credentials, the pressure has become unmanageable. Our David Jesse has the story.
We’re back: Listen to season 2 of College Matters from The Chronicle. To kick off the season, we’re tackling a topic readers can’t seem to get enough of: cheating. If you’ve noticed that more students are cheating, and wondered if it’s getting easier, this episode is for you. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.
Last week’s most-popular link: This story on how Hungary’s higher-education system became a model for potential U.S. reforms.
Lagniappe
Read. Are we too worried about the distraction crisis? This essay suggests that we can focus; we’re just concentrating on the wrong things. (The New Yorker)
Listen. If you’re confused about the Trump family’s new cryptocurrency business, here’s an audio explanation. (Fresh Air)
We’ve documented actions taken on college campuses to alter or eliminate jobs, offices, hiring practices, and programs amid pressure to end identity-conscious recruitment and retention of minority staff and students.
Antidiscrimination and affirmative-action practices at colleges that receive federal aid are no longer required and could be prohibited, several lawyers said.
