In a surprising twist, billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman has come forward with strong criticism of academic plagiarism. This comes despite his celebrity academic wife, Neri Oxman, facing similar allegations.
What Happened: Ackman is advocating for the dismissal of Claudine Gay, Harvard’s president, due to accusations of plagiarism. Meanwhile, a report by Business Insider revealed allegations of plagiarism in the doctoral dissertation of Oxman, an MIT professor and Ackman’s wife, from 2010.
Ackman has publicly expressed his position against plagiarism, stating, “Students are forced to withdraw for much less.” He contends that Gay’s continued presence compromises Harvard’s academic integrity.
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At the same time, several instances of non-attributed content from other works have been found in Oxman’s dissertation. Despite these findings, Oxman’s digital profiles, managed by MIT and Pershing Square Foundation, still list her as a professor. Adding more intrigue, Ackman is also calling for the dismissal of MIT’s president, Sally Kornbluth.
An email sent by Benzinga to Ackman’s Pershing Square Holdings seeking comment didn’t elicit any response till the time of publishing this story.
Why It Matters: This controversy follows closely on the heels of Harvard President Claudine Gay‘s resignation. Gay stepped down only six months into her tenure following heightened scrutiny over plagiarism allegations and a contentious appearance before Congress.
Meanwhile, Ackman has been vocal against the growing incidents of anti-Semitic incidents in the Ivy League. In December, Ackman’s crusade against anti-Semitism in U.S. elite universities found support from Tesla Inc CEO Elon Musk.
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