Posted on 11/03/2002 11:46:19 PM PST by Swordmaker
The whole sordid affair has finally come to an end. Professor of History Michael Bellesiles will no longer be part of this university. Following a lengthy investigation into the research he did for his book, Arming America: Origins of a National Gun Culture, Bellesiles resigned from his post as a tenured professor last week.
Bellesiles had come under fire for allegedly falsifying data he used for his book, and last spring Emory formed an external committee to look into these accusations. The committee, in its report submitted to Emory July 10 and released last week, found that Bellesiles had in fact misrepresented data in his research.
In a statement issued the same day as his resignation, Bellesiles claimed he was resigning because the scrutiny of him and his research had created a "hostile environment" at Emory and he would be unable to continue teaching or conducting research.
The atmosphere at this university was, however, anything but hostile. To the credit of Emory and its administrators, the situation was handled well and in accordance to University policy, protecting Bellesiles from unjust criticism should he have been found not guilty.
Even as the case gained attention on a national level and pressure from outside critics intensified, the University withheld its judgment until the inquiry was complete. Emory gave Bellesiles the benefit of the doubt, taking all the necessary steps and as much time as was needed to accurately investigate Bellesiles' research, as well as hear Bellesiles' September appeal.
The University still maintains its silence, only releasing the committee's report and letting the facts speak for themselves. Although the public may never know the conditions of Bellesiles' resignation, his embarrassment alone may have led him to detach himself from this institution. And surely the University would not have allowed Bellesiles to continue his career as a teaching professor without severe punishment for committing academic fraud.
If Bellesiles did find the environment at Emory hostile, he has only himself to blame. Throughout the controversy, Bellesiles repeatedly made conflicting and misleading claims to the media, as well as to those who openly criticized him. His defenses and evidence were consistently erratic, and only furthered the skepticism of those following the case.
He also claims the scope of the committee's investigation was too narrow, and that his main thesis still holds true despite the errors found in a minor part of his research.
By making this claim, Bellesiles is skirting the real issue. It doesn't matter now if the argument in Arming America is valid -- it matters that he has lied numerous times in defending his book. It's unfortunate that Bellesiles, who is a talented, brilliant writer and scholar, will have his reputation marred by his evasive statements.
Emory has no reason to apologize to Bellesiles. Should a similar situation arise in the future, Emory should consider acting more quickly in response to public outcry, but not at the expense of fairness and accuracy.
The investigation, and Bellesiles' subsequent resignation, should be a reminder to the Emory community that academic research is, above all, about searching for the absolute truth. That's what our professors teach students every day. We should expect the same from them.
The above staff editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel editorial board.
He flat out lied. The librarian in charge of a library where certain records were stored said that the data he quoted was not something she had available. Other records he quoted - were destroyed in the San Francisco fire of 1906.
Why the Emory Wheel make every attempt possible to excuse away his behavior, and praise the Administration for their timidity?
Hostile work environment? Almost sounds like he's anticipating a lawsuit.
Hmmm...
That seems a little one-sided...
OK. I hope that his 'personal' life, his entire sense of well-being and security, is destroyed too.
Yeah... That's better!
Look for him online soon at the Violence Policy Center, along with others of his species.
They have almost, singlehandedly, raised my faith in student journalism, a creature I thought was horribly corrupted by left-think and pandering to the Politically Correct doctrines of the day.
This Wheel spins, but in a good and valid sense.
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