GALWAY MAYO Institute of Technology (GMIT) has initiated an external inquiry into how it responded to and dealt with “complaints/ suspicions” of plagiarism highlighted by one lecturer last year.
A University College Dublin (UCD) academic and a barrister and mediator in private practice have been invited by GMIT’s acting president to conduct an independent investigation into the specific incident at the college’s school of business, which has already been the subject of three previous internal inquiries.
GMIT, which just last month confirmed that its academic council and governing body had developed a new “quality improvement plan” to tighten up standards at the college, has already taken disciplinary measures against a lecturer in relation to the specific plagiarism case.
The college’s most recent internal inquiries had found that its school of business originally treated the misconduct allegation as a “minor” case of plagiarism by a student, when it should have been considered as “major” and should have been dealt with at senior management level.
The incident involved a final-year student who obtained access to a password-protected instructor’s manual, which has sample answers to assessment questions. The manual is only available online to staff with a password.
The student was subsequently found guilty by an internal inquiry and had marks deducted, but graduated last autumn.
As part of the external inquiry, Prof Bairbre McRedmond, UCD deputy registrar of teaching and learning, and Ed Madden, a barrister and mediator with more than 30 years of experience in human resources and industrial relations, will examine “related matters” and furnish a report “as quickly as practicable”.
There is an expected three-week timeframe of publication after investigations have concluded, according to GMIT.
The scope of their investigation will cover the manner in which a complaint was made and communication by a lecturer to the relevant department, school and institute.
The investigation will also focus on whether “any relevant matter was suppressed, concealed or covered up by the department, school or institute, or any member of staff”.
It “may be extended . . . to cover any matter that has a direct bearing” upon the particular complaint, according to the terms of reference.
The governing body will obtain the services of two academics from two other Irish third-level institutes to conduct the investigation into a case of plagiarism in the school of business.
Department heads, the school head, the registrar, the human resources manager, members of the student disciplinary committee, the chair of a masters programme in business and “any other person” considered relevant by the investigation team will be asked to provide statements.
Business school staff at GMIT were briefed on the investigation earlier this week.
The college’s academic council has already recommended dissolution of an aegrotat board which reviewed any cases of impaired student performance, other than personal culpability, immediately before and during exams.
