For what it is worth, I signed, but I have 3 problems with the letter opposing the punishment of Nathan Cofnas.
For background, Nathan Cofnas was the post-doc at Ghent university who first reported that Jason Arday had plagarized parts of his scholarly writing, and his biography contained impossible claims. After Arday resigned, and tragically committed suicide, Ghent university suspended Nathan Cofnas. In a coincidental act that in no way was naked retaliation *wink wink he has been suspended. definitely not retaliation.
Hundreds of Academics have signed a letter opposing this suspension. I signed, and you can too here. But I have 3 problems with the letter
In order to sign this letter, you have to log in with your ORCID id. That’s 5 minutes down the drain, trying to look up my password.
At this point, it is inadequate to not punish Nathan Cofnas. Petra De SUTTER— the signatory of his suspension letter must resign. I want the letter to call for her immediate resignation. Here is why.
In the dumpster fire of this story, there have been many errors. Jason Arday shouldn’t have lied and plagiarized. Cambridge should have detected those obvious falsehoods, and not heralded him as the greatest professor. But the single biggest failure is that a Rector of university should not engage in naked retribution against the whistleblower. The Rector should be held to the highest standard in this whole fiasco— the rector has clearly abandoned academic freedom, and disgraced the university. The Rector did this in cold blood— after days to think and a legal team — and still screwed up— The Rector has to resign.
Being a Rector is one of those jobs where the bar is abysmally low. You just have to shake hands, smile, make empty statements (the more empty the better), and not screw up by abandoning the core values of the institution. This Rector could not even do that. No action was literally all that needed to happen. Rector has to go.
Finally, I have mixed feelings about signing, because I would advise Nathan Cofnas to no longer be a post-doc at Ghent. The university system is failing before our eyes. The Harvard president was a plagiarist. Cambridge celebrated a serial fabulist. Universities are woke indoctrination camps on the express train to being defunded. Nathan Cofnas will probably be much better off joining a think tank, or even going all in on Substack or moving on in life.
Signing the letter feels like asking a kidnapper to keep your child safe. I guess, yes, sure, but what about letting them go? and can we arrest the kidnapper?
Someone please create a letter asking for the Rector’s resignation. Feel free to add my signature, don’t ORCID me.
I was a visiting professor in Ghent more than 20 years ago. My host professor later became Rector. I can’t imagine they would have signed such a letter. Arday’s death is a tragedy but a tragedy in which woke academics is a prime participant.
1)I I totally get your point about the benefits for Cofnas in no longer being a post-doc at a failing university system. However, it is chilling that they would so blatantly retaliate against a whistleblower, and this cannot be allowed and should be opposed.
2) I cannot imagine that the Rector would initiate such action against the advice of a legal team. So I wonder, what could be the legal loophole she is using to justify her retaliation?
3) Somebody should do a wellness check on Cofnas, because this is a lot to go through, with the latest being blamed for some grown up's decision to take his own life after the deck of card he constructed fell apart.