Objection against second chance after plagiarism

Sociologist Floor Basten has decided to formally object to the decision by the Executive Board about the plagiarism which was discovered in a dissertation.

Last week the plagiarism at the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) was made public. The EUR’s Committee on Scientific Integrity advised to revoke the PhD title of the candidate. The Executive Board (EB) however, decided to give her a second chance. She has until October 1 to improve her dissertation.

Complaint

Basten does not agree with the decision by the Executive Board to give the candidate a second chance. She thinks it strange that the EB makes a different consideration from the investigation committee.

The sociologist found out about the plagiarism by accident and filed a complaint with the Erasmus University last November. She will now file the objection with the National Board for Research Integrity (LOWI), an independent board instituted by the KNAW, NOW and the VSNU.

Supporters

At the moment she is still considering that with a number of supporters. “For details about the complaint and the motivation for it, it is still too early,” she says.

The university responded via the press officer: “According to the legal remedy clause, all concerned parties have the right to appeal with the LOWI.” TL