Columbia University has sanctioned a psychology/education professor for plagiarism in a scandal that was aired last week on CNN.

The professor, Madonna Constantine, was not dismissed although the university recorded two dozen cases where Constantine lifted material from a former teacher as well as from two of her former students.

Noose Story: A Distraction?

Constantine is the same professor who notified the school last fall when a noose was found hanging from her door. It turns out that the noose might have been placed there as a distraction to the university’s investigation which began in 2006 and concluded this past December.

The professor is claiming that she is innocent and is accusing the university of conducting a witch hunt with their investigation.

Plagiarism In Academia

Plagiarism has long been a problem in academia, but almost always with students who failed to give credit by citing sources or lifting material at will.

Last week on her Guardienne of the Tomes blog, Colleen wrote in her Down and Dirty: Plagiarism that Ohio University’s engineering department was recently embroiled in a scandal when it was revealed that masters and doctoral students were actively encouraged to plagiarize when working on their theses and dissertations.

Colleen went on to call plagiarism what it really is: fraud and has vowed that she will never send her future children to Columbia as long as they handle plagiarism in this way. Indeed, for far lesser crimes many professors and teachers have been fired.

What’s up with that, Columbia?!

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Tags: CNN, Columbia University, Madonna Constantine, noose on door, Ohio University, plagiarism

Cuban dictator Fidel Castro is no longer in office having recently stepped down after nearly 50 years as president. The news has been hailed by many as the first step in the process to restore democracy to that communist nation.

Not wasting any time with this change is the University of Texas at Austin which announced last week that they signed an agreement with the University of Havana (pictured) to exchange faculty members and graduate students. The university plans on welcoming students in the social sciences, humanities and sciences disciplines to the campus.

U.S. News and World Report recently bestowed a No. 1 ranking on the University of Texas’ Latin American history program in its 2008 survey of America’s Best Graduate Schools. The school regularly hosts symposiums on Latin American issues including a recently concluded discussion about Cuba’s future.

Quoting Jonathan Brown, a University of Texas history professor and associate director of the Lozano Long Institute for Latin American Studies (LLILAS), who negotiated the terms of the agreement while visiting Cuba in 2007:

“This agreement is the first of its kind between a Texas and Cuban university, and formalizes many of the research collaborations already in place,” Brown said. “The Universidad de la Habana is leading efforts to standardize the nation’s curriculum and research efforts in concert with the advances in knowledge generated in institutions around the world. With our longtime relationships and strength in Latin American scholarship, UT is ideally positioned to help Cuba reestablish these links.”

For more information about the University of Texas’ recent symposium please read, “Transitions in the Cuban Revolution.” Visit OfftoCollege.com for college preparation information.

Tags: Cuba, Fidel Castro, Latin American studies, Raul Castro, Texas Longhorns, University of Havana, University of Texas