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Hundreds of Academics Support Nathan Cofnas in Open Letter
Inside Higher Ed • • world
Key Points:
- Hundreds of academics have signed an open letter urging Ghent University to protect Nathan Cofnas, a postdoctoral researcher accused of plagiarism, from disciplinary punishment.
- Cofnas had accused the late Cambridge professor Jason Arday of plagiarizing parts of his Ph.D. thesis, sparking controversy and public scrutiny.
- Signatories emphasize that academic freedom requires the ability to expose misconduct, such as plagiarism, without fear of retaliation.
- Ghent University suspended Cofnas for one week pending an investigation into his conduct, including concerns about his "race realism" work and alleged discrimination against Arday.
- The suspension followed the death of Arday, who had resigned from Cambridge amid online attacks and plagiarism allegations.
