L'affair de Ward Churchill Heating Up

The report on charges of plagiarism, academic fraud, etc. has supposedly been completed and submitted at the University of Colorado. It's contents are secret and not to be released until next week.

In the meantime, Ward Churchill is whining that the investigations are harming his reputation and that the university must stop of face a federal lawsuit.

Attorney David Lane sent the seven-page letter, which was obtained by The Denver Post, to the school's attorney on Tuesday. He said the investigation, along with comments made by officials, was damaging Churchill's reputation and preventing him from fulfilling publishing contracts and speaking engagements.

School officials told The Post they had not seen the letter.

"Let the process decide what happens," university spokesman Barrie Hartman said, declining further comment.

Churchill, a tenured professor of ethnic studies, angered many people with an essay comparing some Sept. 11 victims to a Nazi. University officials determined he could not be fired for the comments but launched an investigation into allegations about plagiarism and research misconduct.

The Standing Committee on Research Misconduct submitted its report to a faculty committee this week, but the findings won't be made public until next week.

Lane said the investigation has dragged on too long.


Shortly we will find out if Colorado runs its academics with the same integrity that it uses for its athletics.