Colorado Professor Who Linked 9/11 Victims to Nazis Fired

The university’s review of Professor Churchill focused on his professional activities, not his statements about victims of September 11, 2001 CU president Hank Brown said.

CU Board of Regent chair Pat Hayes (r) and CU President Hank Brown answer questions at a press conference in UMC 235 following the board's announcement to fire Professor Ward Churchill on July 24. Photo courtesy: University of Colorado

(BOULDER, Colo) - The University of Colorado Board of Regents on Tuesday voted to accept President Hank Brown’s recommendation to dismiss ethnic studies professor Ward Churchill from the faculty of CU-Boulder for conduct that fell below minimum standards of professional integrity.

The vote concluded nearly two and a half years of an extensive faculty review process to investigate charges of research misconduct against Professor Churchill.

More than 20 tenured faculty members from CU and other institutions served on three separate panels.

Each panel conducted a thorough review of his work and faculty involved found evidence showing Professor Churchill engaged in research misconduct, and that it required serious sanction.

The university's regents voted 8-1 in Boulder to terminate Churchill, who contends his dismissal is in retaliation for his comments about the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, The Denver Post reported.

A student journalist writing an advance article about the speech publicized a piece Churchill had written in which he described some of the 9/11 victims in New York City's World Trade Center as "little Eichmanns" — a reference to World War II war criminal Adolf Eichmann, who helped manage the logistics of the Nazis' mass exterminations.

“The university has an obligation to ensure its faculty’s work is above reproach, said CU president Hank Brown. “Academic freedom requires academic integrity, responsibility and accountability.”

The record of the case www.cu.edu/churchillcase shows a pattern of serious, repeated and deliberate research misconduct that fell below the minimum stand of professional integrity, involving fabrication, falsification, improper citation and plagiarism.

The university’s review of Professor Churchill focused on his professional activities, not his statements about victims of September 11, 2001.

Professor Churchill, like every United States citizen, has the right to make controversial political statements. Early in the investigation, the university determined his speech was protected by the First Amendment.

http://www.colorado.edu/news/reports/churchill/distefanostatement.html

The University of Colorado values academic freedom as the bedrock of any university. But for academic freedom to thrive, it must be accompanied by academic and professional integrity.

The lengthy review process adhered to shared governance procedures established by the faculty and adopted by the Regents.

During the more than two years the investigative process has taken, Professor Churchill had the opportunity to present his position.

The process allowed him to make his case in writing, in person, with his attorney and with his own witnesses.

The board’s decision to dismiss is final.

Professor Churchill will receive one year’s salary as a tenured professor, but will be immediately relieved of his faculty post and responsibilities.