Harvard President Resigns

“But she defended the value and originality of her scholarship, even while conceding that she had duplicated language from other academics “without proper attribution” in her published work. Several of the scholars whose work Gay was accused of plagiarizing had previously told news outlets they considered the citation issues highlighted by conservative media outlets to be relatively minor, or even not plagiarism at all, with one scholar calling it “technically plagiarism” but “minor-to-inconsequential”, and another saying: “This isn’t even close to an example of academic plagiarism.”

The above quote is taken from an article on the Guardian website. Here is a link to the site and the entire article. https://www.yahoo.com/news/claudine-gay-warns-broader-war-031530581.html

 

I am going to comment on this Havard president's resignation. Let us begin with the antisemitism on campus issue. The question she was asked was a simple yes or no.  The answer given by the President was atrocious. There is no context in which antisemitism is ok toward individuals, and groups. She misspoke and did not articulate her thoughts well. Maybe she is not comfortable speaking in public, so I give her the benefit of the doubt.

 

 

The above being said, the most egregious part about the President of Havard is the academic plagiarism. She is the President of one of the most respected institutions of higher learning in the world. Only the best and the brightest study at Harvard. The institution is supposed to educate. Part of that education is articulated through writing and publishing. Plagiarizing is not only stealing, but it is also misrepresenting or lying.  As a student, I was held to a high standard when it came to papers, essays, and other written communications. If I copied, then I was to properly attribute it, and if I didn’t then I failed. Which taught me that I must be truthful with my writing and that what I claimed to write, was in fact what I wrote. I never went to Havard, but it looks like to me, that the instructors at community and state college were holding me to a higher level than they do at Havard. What does that say about the quality of the education at Havard? What does that say about What they are teaching at Harvard, when the President, the leader of the institution, can’t or won’t hold herself, to a higher standard? How can she be the leader of an elite institution and hold her students and faculty to a higher standard while conceding that she had duplicated language from other academics “without proper attribution” in her published work;”

Her lackadaisical attitude is echoed by her peers, which points to a systemic corruption of the higher standards that were once the hallmark of Havard. Her peers claiming, “Several of the scholars whose work Gay was accused of plagiarizing had previously told news outlets they considered the citation issues highlighted by conservative media outlets to be relatively minor, or even not plagiarism at all, with one scholar calling it “technically plagiarism” but “minor-to-inconsequential”, and another saying: “This isn’t even close to an example of academic plagiarism.” This is why the value of a college degree from elite institutions of higher learning is not worth the exorbitant cost required to attend these places.

I have owned everything that I have ever said, written or done, without exception, excuse, or purpose of evasion. To see these “scholars,” not only condone, but defend the plagiarism that Ms. Gay committed, only shows why the value of a college education is diminishing.

 

She and her supporters are claiming that the conservatives are being racist toward her for the criticism. Well as far as I am concerned, her color has nothing to do with the fact that she lied and misrepresented her work. She did it to herself. From the looks of the President of the institution, it appears to be a “do as I say, not as I do” situation. Which means they are no longer teaching at Harvard. They are instead indoctrinating.