On February 24th, I published Advertising Plagiarism in the UO SOJC, documenting a case of egregious plagiarism and the subsequent cover-up by the student’s professor, Deb Morrison, the Head of the Advertising Department at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC).

When asked for comment, Professor Morrison told me “we have addressed the issue.” She invited me to “sit down and discuss the protocol our faculty use when discussing and dealing with student conduct,” and proceeded to inform me that she would not “discuss any particular case.”

Clearly, I chose to publish. That day, Professor Morrison tweeted:

Yeah, no problem. Always people who claim support but are duplicitous. I know the folks. Smile and wave! Life is good, my friends — deb morrison (@debkmorrison) February 24, 2016

She wasn’t worried. Before I identified myself as a public relations student of the UO, Professor Morrison had been suspicious of my request for information about Alex Lianopoulos and Justin Crutchely, asking for “identification” and about my “agenda.” Without knowing who I worked for, the question seemed “suspect” to her.

After I identified myself as a student, the tone was distinctly different.

“I understand now.

As a Public Relations student investigating your peers for your blog and Twitter, I know you’re aware of privacy concerns.” (Original spacing)

However, it turned out there would be a problem. In the four days after I published the story no one wanted to tell, the post was viewed 1,696 times. In four days, 1,135 people read and shared the news: that if you knew the right people you could blatantly steal someone else’s work, and receive little to no punishment. But more about that later.

In the next month, the post was viewed another 1,313 times by 1,024 people. During that time, Professor Morrison apparently decided that I needed to be silenced.

On March 9th, 2016, Professor Deb Morrison filed a complaint with the Office of Student Conduct and Affairs about my article. By March 14th, the Office of Student Conduct had given weight to that complaint and informed me that I would need to schedule an appointment “about a violation.” (above)

And so on March 28th, I began spring term with the Director of Student Conduct and Affairs, Sandy Weintraub, discussing another student’s decision to cheat.

Mr. Weintraub quickly assured me that the complaint was completely unfounded and that we would mainly be discussing the Family Educational and Privacy Rights Act (FERPA). Specifically, that under FERPA, the University is obligated to protect the rights of all its students, and if the University had or eventually did open an investigation into this incident of plagiarism, unless Alex chose to share that fact with the world, I could not possibly know if she had or had not been punished by the University for the act of plagiarism.

Fair enough, Mr. Weintraub. Point taken.

He continued to tell me about how the conduct process for plagiarism is “bifurcated.” This means that all responsibility for addressing an incident of plagiarism falls to the professor. They may fail the student, request a suspension or even expulsion (this is where they would involve the university), or as seemed to be the case here, do nothing. The university’s hands, Mr. Weintraub informed me, are tied.

Deb Morrison seems to believe that a single student’s privacy trumps transparency for the rest, who might rightfully fear being associated with a school that does not clearly distance itself from those who commit plagiarism. Well, Professor Morrison, if that’s your choice, so be it.

But as a professor at the Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, to file a complaint against a student for writing an article about what is, even at a glance, blatant plagiarism occurring at our university, well… that seems a little ironic, doesn’t it? So when the Director of Student Conduct and Affairs assured me that Deb Morrison’s complaint was unfounded, the message was plain and simple: intimidation.

It’s almost as if this is actually a case of plagiarism, and I’m starting to push buttons.

But what has bothered me most throughout this entire situation, is the decision by the UO School of Journalism and Communication professors to close ranks around Deb Morrison instead of joining the growing chorus of voices calling for accountability.

Through this shameful attempt to protect the reputation of the SOJC (ignoring that it has already been tarnished in the eyes of current, former, and potential students), our professors have shown that the School of Journalism and Communication does not stand for “respect for consumer advocacy, transparency, and civic engagement” nor does it “prepare students to become professional communicators, critical thinkers, and responsible citizens.”

A wise woman once told me, "If I had a dollar for every mistake I made, we'd throw a party." live + learn are the words of the week. 🙃 — TIGERPUP (@AlexLianopoulos) February 24, 2016

In the weeks following the publication I received emails, direct messages, Facebook messages and other generally private showings of support from both current and former communications students and professionals interested in discussing this case, and if this really isn’t a case of plagiarism, then what is? Even the messages of support for Alex and closing ranks around our J school “family” express clearly that this was plagiarism and is “not right.” For examples see Benson Winklebleck’s public comment on this blog’s Code of Ethics here as well as comment from the victim of the theft (below).

Clearly, there is a disconnect between what the professors of “the only accredited school of Journalism in the Pacific Northwest” and their students believe to be plagiarism. Right now, students of this school are learning about plagiarism, the ethics of publication, how professors play favorites just like every other human, and how establishments will do their best to ignore a problem until it blows up in their faces.

“Always do right. It will gratify some of the people and astonish the rest.”

-Mark Twain

This is the quote that Professor Thomas Bivins, John L. Hulteng Chair in Media Ethics at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, uses to begin the 2nd edition of his media ethics textbook, Mixed Media: Moral Distinctions in Advertising, Public Relations, and Journalism.

I bring this up, because as far as I know, Professor Bivins is the only tenured professor at the SOJC to have even acknowledged the current plagiarism, favoritism, and accountability discussion happening among his students. Around the time I published my original story, I was informed, Professor Bivins reported the incident of plagiarism to the Dean of the SOJC. As far as I can tell, that is where the SOJC wanted this issue to die.

Professor Morrison, write your rebuttal. You stepped down in to the mud when you filed a complaint against a student who dared to mention your name in a critical light. We want to know what plagiarism looks like, and if your complaint against a journalism student for speaking up about a lack of transparency wasn’t intimidation, then explain yourself. From my standpoint, it looks pretty clear.

***********

UPDATE:

Professor Morrison has responded.

“I didn’t report you to student misconduct.

dkm”

The plot thickens.