Plagiarism allegations in the Ohio University Russ College of Engineering and Technology date back to at least 1985, and some students who plagiarized have been allowed to rewrite their theses to avoid more serious consequences.
The College of Engineering is continuing to deal with the plagiarism investigation and university officials are working to outline consequences for the students who plagiarized, but no action has been taken yet.
The Academic Honesty Oversight Committee, composed of professors in the college, released a final report in March that charged more than 30 students with plagiarism, but those students have not yet been notified. In the final report, there were four students who initially were exonerated but now are being re-examined in light of new evidence.
University officials are waiting for an independent review and an outside expert to provide suggestions for the university before they take action.
The committee investigated theses dating back about 20 years, said Dennis Irwin, dean of the College of Engineering.
After submitting a request under the Ohio Open Records Law, which allows people to obtain public documents such as e-mails, letters and memos, The Post found that allegations of plagiarism began in 1985.
1985
In an exchange comprising three letters between Jay Gunasekera, a professor in the mechanical engineering department, and Taylan Altan, then a senior research leader at Battelle Columbus Laboratories, Altan alleged that one of GunasekeraG
17 Archives
Janet Nester
