ASU prof resigns following plagiarism charges, receives $150k+ salary until May 2017

A faculty member at Arizona State University has resigned after he was placed on administrative leave while the university investigated plagiarism charges against him.

According to a copy of the settlement agreement obtained by the Arizona Republic, he will continue to receive his salary of more than $150,000 for more than one year.

He will also be reimbursed $25,000 in attorney fees.

According to the agreement:

Whitaker will resign from his position as associate professor in the School of Letters and Sciences effective May 16, 2017 and shall resign from his position as co-director of the Center for Race and Democracy effective immediately…Whitaker’s salary during this time shall be his base salary of $153,530.50, and he shall continue to receive all employee related benefits, including, but not limited to, health insurance.

In July, we reported that Whitaker was revising his book after admitting it contained “unattributed and poorly paraphrased material.”

He announced that the revised version of Peace Be Still: Modern Black America from World War II to Barack Obama would include “a statement of apology and admission of error.” At the time, he was demoted one academic rank (from full to Associate Professor).

Earlier this year, the city asked Whitaker for a refund of the money they’d paid him after discovering his materials for training in “cultural consciousness” were lifted from another city, the Arizona Republic reported.

The university’s investigation of Whitaker is now over, thanks to the settlement, signed December, 2015:

Due to Whitaker’s decision to resign, ASU shall terminate the pending personnel review process. Records relating to the pending personnel inquiry will be maintained in the Office of General Counsel. Those records shall remain confidential unless Whitaker initiates a claim or litigation against ASU or applies for employment or affiliation with ASU, the University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, or the Arizona Board of Regents. If ASU discloses these records, ASU shall also release Whitaker’s statement. ASU may also use these documents, if needed, to defend any legal claims against ASU by third parties, which are related to actions Whitaker took while employed by ASU.

We’ve contacted ASU, which sent the following statement (also included in the settlement agreement):

Dr. Whitaker has voluntarily resigned from his position as Associate Professor and co-director of the Center for Race and Democracy.

Last week, Whitaker sent a statement to the Arizona Republic:

As we embark upon a new year, I want to announce to my friends and supporters that I will be devoting my full efforts to teaching and working on behalf of racial healing, harmony, diversity and inclusion, through the auspices of The Whitaker Group, LLC, and my community service.

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