College president cited for plagiarism

updated 11:33 p.m. ET March 17, 2004

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The president of Central Connecticut State University plagiarized from three sources in an opinion piece published in The Hartford Courant, according to an investigative report obtained by The Associated Press.

“This is a clear, unacceptable case of plagiarism,” Connecticut State University Chancellor William Cibes said in his report on Richard Judd’s Feb. 26 commentary. “About half of Dr. Judd’s commentary is taken substantially from the original sources.”

The report, obtained by the AP through the Freedom of Information Act and dated Monday, went to the chairman of the university’s board of trustees.

Apology made
The board’s executive committee will meet Friday; it could recommend actions from a reprimand to dismissal. The trustees may meet as soon as next Wednesday.

Judd has already apologized to the Faculty Senate in New Britain; the group voted Monday to recommend he keep his job.

Judd, meanwhile, collapsed in his office at about 3 p.m. Wednesday. He was listed in stable condition at a hospital Wednesday evening and was to stay overnight for observation, WTNH-TV reported.

Cibes’ investigation found Judd’s op-ed article about the prospects for peace in Cyprus lifted unattributed, verbatim phrases from a New York Times editorial, from a Web site of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and from an article published a London newspaper, The Independent on Sunday.

Using the material without attribution violates the university’s policy on plagiarism, as well as policies from other universities and professional groups, he said.

Cibes said he was made aware of the plagiarism by alumnus Christopher Ttofi.

'Disturbing'
Ttofi, who is partially of Greek Cypriot descent, said he investigated Judd’s piece because he believed it was inaccurate and that Judd is biased in favor of the Turks in the Cyprus dispute.

“It’s disturbing to think a university president may use his status to mislead people,” Ttofi said. He has asked trustees to fire Judd.

Judd said the article grew out of a discussion paper he presented to a social group, and was based on notes he’d taken from journal articles, Web sites, personal discussions and newspapers.

“In using material that was gathered for a discussion among friends, and which was never intended for publication, I gave insufficient attention to the exact words and phrases used in the op-ed,” he said on Monday. “I never intended to use words without attribution.”

Judd could not be reached for comment Wednesday. A message was left at his office.

The Hartford Courant has since published an apology and corrected two factual errors in Judd’s article.

MORE FROM U.S. NEWS

U.S. news Section Front

U.S. sets climate target ahead of summit   Aspiring reality TV stars crash Obama party 570,000 9/11 pager messages released Military families united by tragedies NYT: Penny-pinching holiday fliers start early Arsenal found at ex-doctor's Ohio apartment Nurse anesthetist accused of abuse Crews work to free man stuck in Utah cave Salvation Army kettles now take plastic 4 bodies found in suburban Chicago home U.S. news Section Front   Add U.S. news headlines to your news reader: