Reference:

Dawood, Heather. “Student Trustee Report.” “The Mass Media” 27 Feb. 2003: A3, A7.

Beacon Leadership Project Brochure, UMB, “Purpose”

Apparently “[t]he Mass Media”, the administration to include Chancellor Gora, and the faculty council do not have any (academic) integrity for this University.

Ms. Heather Dawood, former student trustee, without regard to the Student Handbook’s guide to avoid plagiarism, deliberately plagiarized her trustee report. (Dawood, Heather. A7) We are not debating one or two sentences here. Ms. Dawood demonstrates what a LEADER should not do when writing one’s report. Ms. Dawood pilfered these words without regard to the originator who wrote these words in the BLP’s “Purpose” brochure.

I have sent letters to the administration to include the Chancellor, to “[t]he Mass Media”, to some faculty at UMB and I have personally addressed Ms. Dawood in the corridor (W-4-Lounge) why she plagiarized her report. I have received some “lip service”, accusations made by Ms. Dawood stating: “Are you threatening me?”, and/or nothing at all. Perhaps “[t]he Mass Media” is afraid of being libel, but that would only apply if what I have been stating is false and untrue: which, by the way, I am not.

If I cannot address this wrongdoing to the University, “[t]he Mass Media”, or the administration then I will write to the “Boston Globe”, The Center for Academic Integrity or any other outsourced media that cares to listen. And by God, this University and/or Ms. Dawood will take responsibility for her plagiarized report/wrongdoing.

I find it uncanny to witness Ms. Dawood’s and the administration’s continual effort to undermine the virtues and mission of this University. It’s humiliating and embarrassing enough that Ms. Dawood allegedly sexually assaulted and allegedly sexually harassed a male student in the fall 2002. Now Ms. Dawood has plagiarized a student trustee report. I’m willing to bet the University is exploring ways to sweep this under the rug and keep it quiet too. How many times will this University protect Ms Dawood: a huge liability to this University?

This University needs a face lift. It needs a new leader who has direction, integrity, and values to rebuild this University’s reputation of corruption, diatribe discontent, lengthy tirade in the media, and political zealotry made by the University’s former president.

Isn’t it time to do the right thing? How long must these contraventions be ignored, disregarded, and overlooked?

J. Stone Laraway IICM 2003, Alum