"Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." Now quite obviously I didn't write that. It's the beginning of a well known address that was penned a long time before I set foot on this earth. So would it be proper of me to lead you to believe that I was the author as I try to get a point across?
A U of A Dean has found himself in a bit of hot water after being accused of plagiarism. Addressing a large group of grads, a big portion of his speech was a tad familiar to a number of students. In fact, it was so much so, they were able to find it on their blackberries and read along as the professor spoke. Not good.
Not giving credit to the actual author as he spoke, the Dean (Dr. Philip Baker) says he was so inspired by the words that he had a "lapse in judgement." In my view, things like that can and do happen. Sometimes you forget reading or hearing about something and it can be easy to make a story your own. But was that the case here? Baker just happened to use the words of a Dr. Atul Gawande who gave a convocation address last year at Stanford University in California. The problem is Baker didn't just get inspired by a concept, he took actual excerpts and didn't give credit where credit was due.
"The tip off," says one student, "was the phrase velluvial matrix, which I think, was a phrase made up by Atul Gawande." Velluvial matrix? Not a phrase dropped into everyday conversations that's for sure.
Now in the grande scheme of things is this all really a big deal? Not to me, but to the students it is. A student found guilty of plagiarism can be expelled and at the very least faces severe disciplinary action, so what kind of example will it set if Baker gets nothing?
"I believe it reflects poorly on the integrity of the entire institution if this is not taken seriously," says the same student I quoted previously. "The same rule should apply for students as for professors. I don't think there should be any leeway given to him because he's a dean, if anything he should be treated more harshly because he's one of the ones who's dealing with plagiarism cases with students." The matter is now under investigation and some are calling for Baker's resignation. Everybody makes mistakes and I'm fairly sure this Dean has learned his lesson, but with that said, there will be a precedence set after this is all said and done and that should be remembered by whoever is the final decision maker in this process.
