Exposing the hypocrisy within America’s elite universities, Harvard University has revoked the tenure of a professor whose fraud has been finally uncovered.
Francesca Gino was once among Harvard’s highest-paid employees, earning over $1 million annually.
She lost her position after being accused of falsifying and manipulating data for her own benefit in research results in studies about ethical behavior.
Harvard confirmed it terminated Gino’s employment at the Harvard Business School following a lengthy internal investigation that found evidence of academic misconduct.
A university spokesperson said that the revocation of tenure marks “the first time it has occurred in recent decades.”
The measure is an extraordinary step highlighting the severity of the allegations against Gino.
Gino, who authored over 140 scholarly papers and received numerous awards before the allegations surfaced, has been fighting these accusations for nearly four years.
The irony that she built her career studying honesty and ethical behavior while engaging in data fraud has not been lost on critics.
The internal investigation concluded that Gino manipulated data in at least four studies spanning over a decade, including recent publications.
The evidence was first brought to light by scholars posting on a blog called Data Colada.
They raised red flags about inconsistencies in her research that supposedly proved various hypotheses about human behavior.
Following the investigation’s findings, Harvard removed Gino from teaching and research duties.
The decision effectively sidelines the once-celebrated professor who joined the Business School in 2010 and achieved full professor status by 2014.
“There are a number of measures that academic institutions could very easily implement to prevent and reduce fraud,” said Eugenie Reich, pointing to the systemic problems at elite universities.
The professor has denied all allegations and filed a $25 million lawsuit against Harvard and others, claiming defamation, gender discrimination, and invasion of privacy.
“Once I have the opportunity to prove this in the court of law, with the support of experts I was denied through Harvard’s investigation process, you’ll see why their case is so weak and that these are bogus allegations,” Gino claimed in her defense.
However, a federal judge has already dismissed her defamation claims, citing First Amendment protections.
This scandal erupts amid broader scrutiny of higher education in America, particularly elite institutions like Harvard.
The Department of Homeland Security has even threatened to revoke Harvard’s authority to enroll international scholars unless it provides disciplinary records related to campus protests.
The hypocrisy is particularly glaring considering allegations include falsified results in a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which was later retracted.
One of her co-authors, Max Bazerman, stated there was “compelling evidence” of fraud but claimed he had nothing “to do with the fabrication.”
Critics argue that the Gino case exemplifies a deeper problem with academic integrity at elite institutions.
Pressure to produce groundbreaking research that attracts grants and prestige can incentivize cutting corners.
Harvard’s rare move to revoke tenure suggests the evidence against Gino was substantial, despite her continued denials.
