In a historic decision, Harvard University has revoked the tenure of Francesca Gino, a former professor at Harvard Business School, marking the first time in approximately 80 years that the institution has taken such a step.
A Harvard spokesperson confirmed Gino’s tenure revocation on Monday, following a period during which she was placed on administrative leave in 2023 as multiple allegations of data falsification emerged against her.
Francesca Gino, known for her research on honesty and ethical behavior, maintains her innocence amidst claims of academic fraud.
Harvard has declined to elaborate on the specifics of the revocation, citing its policy not to discuss personnel matters.
Interestingly, this unprecedented action does not seem to be connected to Harvard’s ongoing legal disputes with the Trump administration, which have centered around federal funding cuts and limits on the enrollment of foreign students.
The revocation of tenure is particularly notable, as, according to The Harvard Crimson, no professor at Harvard has lost their tenure since the 1940s, making this event exceptional in the context of the institution’s long history.
Professor Francesca Gino, 47, embarked on her academic journey in Italy, where she graduated with an economics degree from a small university.
Following this, she earned her PhD in economics from the University of Pisa before moving to the United States for a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard.
In 2023, Gino reflected on her time at Harvard, describing how she initially intended to stay in the U.S. for only six to nine months but ultimately fell in love with her research and career.
Having been heavily invested in by mentors at Harvard, Gino’s academic career flourished as she transitioned from lecturer and researcher to tenured professor at various esteemed institutions, including Carnegie Mellon University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
In 2010, she returned to Harvard to teach graduate courses focused on decision-making and negotiation.
Gino published her first book, “Sidetracked,” in 2013, exploring decision-making science, followed by another book, “Rebel Talent,” in 2018, which posited that nonconformists often achieve greater success in business and life.
Throughout her career, Gino has authored over 140 scholarly papers, many of which gained significant traction in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and NBC News.
Additionally, between 2018 and 2019, she was among the top-paid employees at Harvard, earning over $1 million annually.
Gino’s research has primarily investigated themes of behavioral economics and dishonesty.
Concerns about Gino’s research integrity began surfacing in 2021, when a group of behavioral researchers affiliated with the blog Data Coloda scrutinized her studies, suspecting that they contained fraudulent data.
Data Coloda subsequently claimed to have shared these concerns with Harvard Business School regarding at least four of Gino’s published papers.
In June 2023, following an 18-month internal review, Harvard placed Gino on unpaid administrative leave, concluding that she had committed “research misconduct,” a decision that prompted her to file a lawsuit against both Harvard and Data Coloda later that year.
In her legal action, Gino asserted that the move stripped her of her responsibilities as a teacher and researcher and sought $25 million in damages for defamation.
Her lawsuit cites Data Coloda’s investigation as a pivotal factor in her claims.
In addition to the breach of contract allegations against Harvard, which the court has allowed to proceed, Gino recently amended her lawsuit to include grievances regarding gender discrimination.
A federal judge had previously dismissed part of her lawsuit, specifically regarding her defamation claims.
As legal battles continue, the academic community is closely watching how this unprecedented situation at Harvard unfolds and its implications for academic integrity.
With the revocation of Gino’s tenure, the university reaffirms its commitment to maintaining research standards, leaving an indelible mark on the institution’s history.
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