Harvard University President Claudine Gay has been confronted with a detailed complaint containing over 40 allegations of plagiarism in her academic works, the New York Post reported.
The 37-page document, obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, asserts that Gay, a political scientist, failed to adhere to the university's strict rules regarding proper attribution. The complainant, a respected professor from another institution who remained anonymous, independently verified the allegations.
The complaint, filed with Harvard on Tuesday, raises concerns about the university's review process, stating, "[I]t is impossible that your office has already reviewed the entirety of these materials, as many … have not been previously reported or submitted."
This is not the first time plagiarism allegations have surfaced against Gay.
Earlier this month, accusations emerged regarding her 1997 doctoral thesis and four papers published between 1993 and 2017, which allegedly lacked proper attribution. Carol Swain, a former political science professor at Vanderbilt University, claimed that Gay copied sections of her 1993 book and an article published in 1997.
Following these allegations, The Post uncovered that Harvard conducted a weekslong investigation into Gay's potential use of other researchers' work without proper credit. The university reportedly employed a law firm to help conceal the investigation.
In response, the Harvard Corporation, the institution's highest governing body, released a statement on Dec. 12. It acknowledged becoming aware of plagiarism claims in late October, initiating an independent review, and claiming to find three instances of "inadequate citation" but no misconduct.
In her defense, Gay asserted her commitment to academic rigor, telling the Boston Globe, "I stand by the integrity of my scholarship. Throughout my career, I have worked to ensure my scholarship adheres to the highest academic standards."
The allegations of plagiarism have garnered congressional attention. The House Committee on Education and the Workforce, in its ongoing inquiry into antisemitism on campus, has broadened its scope to encompass the accusations against Gay, as reported by The Harvard Crimson.
Harvard has now revealed additional instances of insufficient citations by Gay, as a congressional committee launched an investigation into escalating plagiarism allegations, according to the Post.
The review disclosed more instances of "duplicative language without appropriate attribution" in Gay's 1997 doctoral dissertation, reported The Boston Globe.
The university's independent three-person initial panel focused on Gay's other published works, failing to identify the plagiarized material in her dissertation.
A subsequent review of the dissertation was prompted by new allegations, leading Gay to address and correct multiple instances of "inadequate citation," the Crimson reported.
It was only "in response to new allegations" that the subcommittee "undertook a review of the dissertation," the university review reportedly said.
Gay already was facing criticism for her handling of antisemitic behavior on campus following the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel. Her responses during a congressional hearing, where she refused to condemn Harvard students calling for the genocide of Jews, drew further scrutiny.
Despite calls for her resignation from bipartisan Congress members, Harvard continues to stand by Gay.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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