First Case of Tenure Revocation at Harvard
Amid Allegations of Data Manipulation in Multiple Papers
A prominent professor at Harvard University, one of the most prestigious universities in the United States, has had her tenure revoked and has been dismissed following allegations of data manipulation in academic papers. This action marks an unprecedented and significant disciplinary measure in Harvard's history.
Harvard University announced that it has revoked the tenure and dismissed Francesca Gino, a professor at Harvard Business School. Professor Gino's personal homepage.
According to The Harvard Crimson, the student newspaper published by Harvard University, on May 25 (local time), a Harvard spokesperson announced that Francesca Gino, a professor at Harvard Business School, has had her tenure revoked and has been dismissed. This is the first case of tenure revocation since Harvard established the tenure system in the 1940s.
According to reports, former Professor Gino is a behavioral scientist who gained prominence for her research on honesty and ethical behavior. In 2018 and 2019, she reportedly received an annual salary of over $1 million (approximately 1.3717 billion KRW) at Harvard, making her the fifth highest-paid faculty member at the time.
However, she became the center of controversy after allegations emerged that she had manipulated research data. In August 2018, three professors and behavioral researchers who run the data verification blog "Data Colada" claimed that some data in a paper co-authored by former Professor Gino had been manipulated. In September 2019, the paper was retracted, bringing dishonor to her name.
After an 18-month investigation, Harvard Business School concluded that former Professor Gino had committed academic misconduct. In June 2023, Srikant Datar, dean of Harvard Business School, placed her on unpaid administrative leave and banned her from entering the campus. He also stripped her of her honorary professorship.
Nevertheless, further allegations against former Professor Gino continued to surface. Data Colada asserted that there was data manipulation in three additional papers co-authored by her. Ultimately, at Dean Datar's request, Harvard University began an official review of her tenure in July 2023.
Regarding the allegations of paper manipulation, former Professor Gino has maintained that she "never committed academic fraud." In August 2023, she filed a defamation lawsuit against Harvard University, Dean Datar, and Data Colada, seeking $25 million (approximately 3.42 billion KRW) in damages.
In the lawsuit, former Professor Gino claimed that Harvard Business School introduced a new employment policy targeting her in August 2021, after the data manipulation allegations surfaced. The new policy broadened the definition of research misconduct and stipulated that violations could result in disciplinary action, including dismissal.
The legal battle between former Professor Gino and Harvard has produced mixed outcomes. In September last year, the U.S. District Court dismissed her defamation claim. However, the court allowed the main trial to proceed regarding her claim that Harvard had violated internal tenure regulations and imposed unjust disciplinary action, constituting a breach of contract.
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