Members of Ohio University Graduate Student Senate agreed last night to investigate allegations of plagiarism in the Master's Program in OU's mechanical engineering department.
Tom Matrka, a graduate student recently accepted into the Integrated Engineering Ph.D Program, said during research for his master's thesis, he discovered about 30 published theses that contained possible instances of plagiarism, one as recent as 2004. Appearing before senate last night, he pleaded with senators to encourage the university to take action.
I think a thorough investigation needs to be conducted in the thesis containing plagiarism
Matrka said.
At least one author has already graduated from Ohio University, Matrka said, adding he had previously been in contact with accreditation officials, OU judiciaries and OU officials in the Mechanical Engineering Department before contacting senate President Mark Mecum via e-mail.
Mecum said he is unsure of a clear process for pursuing students who have already graduated from OU. Plagiarism is a Code A academic offense in the Student Code of Conduct and punitive measures against a student found to have engaged in plagiarism can range from a reprimand to expulsion from OU.
I'm still in the process of looking into his complaints he said after the meeting. (I think) what his main goal is is to get the university to have a policy that if they find a thesis that is officially plagiarized
to have it removed from the library
Mecum said.
The allegedly plagiarized theses can be found at Alden Library.
Some senators questioned what measures senate would be willing to take. The university cannot pursue students who have already graduated, however, some senators suggested professors still at OU who advised the graduate students be held responsible for the plagiarism.
A senate investigation could result in a proposed resolution to Graduate Student Senate. Though details of a potential resolution were not available, Mecum said interests of graduate students at OU would be protected.
Katie Nutter, Commissioner of Women's Affairs and first-year graduate student, said a resolution, if passed by senate, is necessary for communication and the introduction of an issue to the senate body.
Aside from letting the students know how we feel and letting the university know how we feel and hopefully influencing student's opinion as well as university opinion
a resolution is the first step towards action
she said.
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Erik Skoog
