A Harvard history professor has likened the college's handling of the Claudine Gay plagiarism scandal to a medieval dictatorship – and says the Ivy League school needs a “reboot.”
In an editorial for the Wall Street Journal, James Hankins explained that the value of modern research universities depends on the academic integrity of these institutions and the ability to honestly reflect on mistakes.
Those who dismiss the recent plagiarism allegations against President Gay are undermining the “project of improving human life through research and scholarship,” he wrote.
Hankins emphasized that students at medieval universities were simply taught widely accepted facts and expected to memorize them – with scholars forbidden from challenging the status quo. He seemed to suggest that the current state of affairs at Harvard in the wake of the gay scandal now resembles an educational institution from the Middle Ages.
“What concerns me is that there has not been enough appreciation in the public discussion of how serious academic honesty is in research institutions,” he said, adding, however, that it could well be that Gay will ultimately be “fired.” is asked or asked to resign.'
Harvard history professor James Hankins wrote in the WSJ that the school needs to take its academic honesty more seriously as its president faces allegations of plagiarism
President Claudine Gay, who was heavily criticized for her mishandling of anti-Semitism on campus after October 7, was recently accused of plagiarizing her academic articles
Hankins wrote that the main difference between the modern research university model and the model used in medieval teaching was the blind deference to “authority.”
Medieval educational institutions were “built around collections of authorities in philosophy, medicine, law, and theology,” he wrote.
“The lectures consisted of explaining the authorities, memorizing them, and applying them to solve practical problems.”
“Students should not think for themselves because the authorities had proven their worth and deserved respect.”
According to Hankins, the model that modern Harvard seems to be adopting has too much in common with the academic world of the Middle Ages.
The powerful Harvard Corp. wrote in a Dec. 12 statement that Gay is the leader they believe is best suited to “address the very serious societal issues we face.”
Gay – the first black woman to lead the college – first sparked outrage at a congressional hearing after she highlighted free speech concerns by banning anti-Semitism.
Critics say the comments are hollow, given Harvard's poor reputation for protecting free speech. Students were warned that “fatphobia” constitutes violence — as does refusing to use a person’s preferred pronoun.
The dean was subsequently accused of plagiarism on several occasions – in response, corrections were made to her academic publications.
Gay's defense, Hankins wrote, appeared to reveal a “shift” in the university's priorities.
“Harvard’s mission is no longer just to promote knowledge, but knowledge “that helps address deep societal problems and promote constructive discourse,” he wrote.
“From this perspective, academic honesty appears to be less important than having the right progressive values, and refusing to disclose underlying data is permissible as long as the conclusions support a preferred narrative.”
As the plagiarism allegations against Gay continue to circulate through the various channels of Harvard's vast bureaucratic body, Hankins believes the university would only “damage our hard-earned reputation, cheapen the value of our degrees, and undermine the standards necessary for academic excellence.” doesn't take her seriously.
It is not clear whether the Harvard board will call for her removal
As calls for President Claudine Gay (pictured) to step down grow louder, faculty members are now turning the spotlight on the other 11 members of the Harvard Corporation – the powerful Ivy League governing body that continues to support them
Meanwhile, former Harvard Medical School dean Jeffrey Flier recently said he had advised several board members to do more to address ongoing unrest around the school.
“You have to be more open here,” Flier recalled telling executives when he spoke to The New York Times. “When people say the university makes mistakes, they mean you!”
Professor Kit Parker said the school was facing a fork in the road and board members needed to resign so it could take the right path.
“The big question now is: How arrogant is Harvard?” the professor of bioengineering and applied physics told the WSJ.
“And when I say Harvard, I mean the Harvard Corporation. 'Do you think that's going to go away?'
Gay sparked outrage at a congressional hearing earlier this month after she said it depends on the context whether calls for genocide against Harvard's Jews constituted harassment and violated the rules.
The president, who has recently dismissed reports that she was also a plagiarist, initially sparked outrage after the Oct. 7 massacre of 1,200 people in Israel when she cautiously condemned the attack.
She then issued two apologies in which she further condemned Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist group behind the atrocities.
The Harvard Corporation admitted that it should have condemned Hamas' attack in Israel earlier, but gave it full support for continuing its role.