WASHINGTON – Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) has criticized Harvard University for its alleged double standard in handling plagiarism allegations against President Claudine Gay. In a letter addressed to Harvard Corporation Senior Fellow Penny Pritzker, Foxx demanded more information about the university's handling of the allegations and the unequal application of Harvard's Honor Code.

Foxx expressed concern about the inconsistent application of standards, stating, "Our concern is that standards are not being applied consistently, resulting in different rules for different members of the academic community." She emphasized the importance of holding faculty accountable for academically dishonest behavior, stating that if a university fails to do so, it cheapens its mission and the value of its education.

The Chairwoman further stressed the need for fair evaluation of students and faculty, stating, "Students must be evaluated fairly, under known standards – and have a right to see that faculty are, too."

In her letter, Foxx requested various documents and communications related to the plagiarism allegations against President Gay. She asked for information about the initial allegations, the "independent review" of President Gay's scholarship, and the university's public response to media inquiries about the allegations. Additionally, she requested a list of disciplinary actions taken against Harvard faculty or students for academic integrity violations, research misconduct, inadequate citation, or other forms of plagiarism from January 1, 2019, to present.

Foxx also sought access to any non-public guidelines or policies governing Harvard's process for reviewing and adjudicating allegations of plagiarism. Finally, she requested all communications between Harvard and its regional accreditor regarding the university's academic dishonesty standard.

The Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman's letter to Harvard Corporation Senior Fellow Penny Pritzker highlights the growing concern over alleged plagiarism at one of the country's top educational institutions. The demand for transparency and consistent enforcement of academic standards underscores the importance of maintaining integrity in higher education.

For additional details, please follow this link: https://edworkforce.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=409916