This is my fifth version of this column, all with different angles and takes, because of implicit vetoes I received, though perhaps well meaning, and also implicit threats of libel. All I can do, then, is tell the story and get a discussion started.
I received an anonymous tip with these allegations: Matthew Whitaker, Ph.D., the director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy and ASU Foundation professor of history, is alleged to have plagiarized two essays in a speech he gave in 2010. Concerns were allegedly raised in 2011, which led to a suspected cover up and the firing of some employees in the history department.
Here are the examples of alleged plagiarism: In October 2010 at an event called “A Conversation with Cornel West — How we got here: Historical roots of SB 1070,” Whitaker gave a nine-minute twenty-second speech. From 1:20 to 5:30 he seems to be reading from a Washington Post story, and from 6:00 to 8:20 he seems to be reading from an essay on a civil rights blog.
Whitaker, who seems to me to be a nice man, responded to my questions on the plagiarism claims. He defends his speech by saying:
1) The nature of the setting allows looser citation standards.
2) He did not submit anything for publication and he was working from memory and handwritten notes.
3) He cited sources afterward to people who asked.
A source in the administration said there may or may not be a review of these matters taking place and that it is the University’s policy to not comment on personnel matters.
I believe Whitaker. He seems to me to be sincere, and he’s an attentive emailer, which weighs heavily in my personal opinion of people. I am passing no judgment on his work. A debate should play out.
And the debate should be on the nature of academic integrity. Is there a differential scale of scholastic integrity, not just between students and faculty, but also among faculty? What would happen to a student in a similar situation and what about copyright law?
Please weigh in. Visit StatePress.com and watch the video and read the work and send us your opinions. The Washington Post story reads from the middle of the fifth paragraph, and the blog post from the first.
I like Whitaker. My opinion is traditional plagiarism and copyright definitions must be updated to reflect the ease of spreading and reading digital media. If a work is good enough, it will be plagiarized.
Send me your thoughts on plagiarism and I’ll compile them for presentation to the administration. Let’s start the discussion.
Reach the columnist at whamilt@asu.edu
Clarification: A paragraph in William Hamilton’s March 13 column, “Academic Integrity: bring on the future” contained a source that could not officially confirm the relationship between Matthew Whitaker, Ph.D, and the release of Department of History faculty in 2011. The paragraph has since been removed.
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