Plagiarism Scandal Sullies Columbia
By now, you may have heard about the plagiarism scandal at Columbia University where a professor was found to have taken content from two of her students and a former teacher and used these works as her own.Columbia concluded, after an eighteen-month investigation that wrapped up in December, that Madonna Constantine had committed at least two dozen acts of plagiarism.
Possibly worse than Constantine’s transgressions was the way that the university handled the matter — the professor wasn’t fired, instead she was penalized by the university, but we aren’t told how.
In this country, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Columbia’s exhaustive investigation has outlined Constantine’s guilt, though she has said that due process wasn’t followed, an accusation Columbia has denied.
This is the same professor who may have been behind an earlier incident where a noose was found hanging from her door at the school. The obvious racial tones in this act — Constantine is black — triggered an uproar as was condemned by the Columbia community. The incident took place as the university was finishing up their invesigation of Constantine.
In my opinion, the message being sent by the university is worse than the plagiarism itself. Columbia University outlines penalty guidelines for students including receiving an F grade for the class and/or suspension or expulsion from the university. But, this is for just one offense. In Constantine’s case, 24 offenses were recorded and she keeps her job.
Inside Higher Ed has an article titled, “Victim, Victimizer, or Both,” which does an excellent job of chronicling the events related to the investigation, including quotes from other faculty members and students.
Tags: college professor, Columbia University, Madonna Constantine, plagiarism
Writing | Matthew C. Keegan, 24 Feb 08
By nick, February 25, 2008 @ 2:15 pm
That is not right. I’m in college, maybe i should go there so i can get away with plagarism. I hope one of her students plagarises something, i know I would. What can she do?
This is the most absured thing, and just shows how bad colleges and Universities have become. They do not care what they are teaching or how it is taught, as long as they keep getting paid..and they’ll continue to require pointless classes, and a large number of credits that have nothing to do with your major just for a few exta THOUSAND dollars. Over priced-over rated
By Matt, February 25, 2008 @ 2:25 pm
Nick, thank you for commenting.
This case burns me for two reasons:
1. If you want to maintain academic integrity at any school of higher learning, then the professors and administrators need to set the example.
2. I suspect Columbia would have taken stronger action if this professor wasn’t so controversial in the first place. Her background covering race relations probably has them running scared. That’s too bad — the student body will not respect her.
Under these conditions, I wouldn’t send my children to Columbia. For the price you pay, you should expect the highest standard as you have indicated.
By meg, February 28, 2008 @ 3:33 am
The school should have shown a sense of responsibility to its studentry. Too bad the teacher wasn’t fired.
By Matt, February 28, 2008 @ 4:54 am
Meg, the message Columbia is sending to their students is speaking volumes. Too bad that it is the wrong message for the moment!
By Jack, March 20, 2008 @ 5:32 pm
Personally I hate plagiarism, I believe there is no bigger evil than that. I found this blog post my friend made, on how to get help from Creative Commons license, and copyright on fighting plagiarism. He is also planning to release a latest content toward plagiarism. Please read the blog and comment on.
Creative commons: common man’s copyright
By Online Traffic Formula,, March 24, 2008 @ 2:26 pm
That is tragic that she gets to keep her job. Colulmbia is a good enough school–they can afford to lose her. They could probably replace her in record time.
By Matt, March 24, 2008 @ 2:39 pm
Online, if Columbia wanted to can this professor they would. They have more than sufficient grounds to dump her — what will students think when they take her class? They’ll say, I have “the cheating professor” this term!