When we at the DAILY EGYPTIAN received word that a man as esteemed as our university's president, Glenn Poshard, could be associated with such a term as plagiarism, we did what any news organization would do - we started digging.
Poshard is a veteran public servant and has been a strong advocate of this university. That is what makes this accusation so unsettling. It is important for members of the community to know that the man who is trying to raise this university's standard of academic excellence might not have demonstrated that quality himself.
What we have unearthed is a testament of our obligation to you. The public has a right to know the truth. Countless hours were logged in a week's time in the name of it. Every iota of information was taken with a grain of salt and an insatiable desire to get the facts.
The expertise and opinion of those who specialize in the ethical dilemmas that occur within the realm of academia have been sought not only to educate ourselves but to provide the public with the means to understand this accusation.
After former Chancellor Walter Wendler failed to attribute a popular analogy to author Roger von Oech in his 2005 State of the University address, Poshard defined plagiarism as the act of intentionally taking "personal or professional credit for the original or creative thought, action or product of another person in order to gain benefit to oneself."
And so ensues one of the many questions - could the 30 discrepancies found in Poshard's dissertation be an innocent error?
The documents we provide in this edition are an attempt to help our readers make an educated decision.
See 'The Journey of a President' timeline here.
See the document comparison here.
Poshard's dissertation was not difficult to find. Though 23 years old, it remains a public document. Combing through endless pages of dated material in our efforts to uncover the truth, however, has helped us lead to one conclusion.
Poshard said citation rules in use in the 1980s might have justified the absence of some attributions. But an error in citation can't justify representing the work of another as one's own.
This past week has shown us many truths. The future will certainly hold countless questions. Did President Poshard commit plagiarism?
We've done our best to provide you with the facts. It's now time for you to decide.
