The University of California, Irvine, appears to be putting some distance between the administration and a lecturer at the school who threatened Retraction Watch with legal action after we inquired about the misbehavior of one of his colleagues.
Last month, we reported on the case of Constance Iloh, a UCI education scholar whose work has come under scrutiny for plagiarism and misuse of references. Before posting our story, we emailed Iloh multiple times for comment on two retractions and a pair of corrections.
She didn’t reply — but we did hear from Eric Lindsay, a composer at the school, who told us, using a UCI email address:
I have received notice that you have been sending harassing and insinuating emails to Constance Iloh. I am writing to inform you that you can’t include her in any part of any of your platforms and legal action will be taken. You also will be included in ongoing legal recourse of professional sabotage, abuse, and stalking.
Lastly, please refrain from sending her any more emails or the authorities will be contacted.
Those threats prompted Lee Siegel, a former science writer for the Associated Press and the University of Utah, to raise the issue with UCI officials. Siegel wrote UCI demanding “appropriate action” against Iloh and Lindsay:
This is absolutely disgraceful behavior by two people supported by tax dollars and who should be living up to standards of honest academic research.
In a Sept. 3, 2020, letter, Kirsten K. Quanbeck, the Associate Chancellor for Equal Opportunity and the Compliance Whistleblower Locally Designated Official for UCI, responded by, well, looking the other way. Quanbeck wrote:
Thank you for reporting your concerns related to Professor Iloh to the University. The matter was referred to the appropriate administrator and is being addressed. Privacy considerations limit our ability to share confidential personnel information with you.
The remaining issues in your report relate to Eric Lindsay. Mr. Lindsay’s comments were personal and not made on behalf of the University.
The University takes all allegations of wrongdoing very seriously. I appreciate you bringing this matter forward.
Neither Iloh nor Lindsay has responded to our follow-up emails.
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Iloh she appeared to have lift whole paragraphs from other papers into her work she called her own. This from a “scholar rising.” (from her website).
I note that giving someone the opportunity to address a serious issue by offering their side of the story is regarded as harassment.
Don’t three year olds have that attitude?
“The University takes all allegations of wrongdoing very seriously.”
This is sarcasm, surely.
Its sarcasm until the grant money stops rolling in. Then yes, the hammer falls. What do you expect from American universities run on a business model?
In general, if the suspected plagiarism is in papers that report that they are funded by a federal agency, e.g., NSF, NIH, etc., do you also contact that agency in addition to the researchers and their institutions?