Plagiarism, the bane of education

Plagiarism represents one of the gravest threats to academic integrity. That is why Chiang Mai University cannot afford to stay complacent about the recent plagiarism complaint filed by one of its faculty members.

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Last month, Asst Prof Surachai Jongjitngam of the Faculty of Fine Arts filed a petition urging the university's executives to expedite an investigation into a plagiarism allegation he first raised eight months ago.

Asst Prof Surachai said a report on the survey of community art in Hod district, which he says he wrote solely himself, was slightly modified then republished as well as made available online with another person listed as the main author.

The lecturer says he filed a complaint immediately upon learning about the issue in May last year. He had a chance to testify before a panel in August. Since then, he has received no updates.

His frustration is understandable. But as Asst Prof Surachai rightly points out, this case is not just about protecting his own dignity as a researcher, it is also about protecting the university's reputation.

For academic institutions, original thought, honest inquiry and professional integrity form the cornerstone of their existence. When plagiarism goes unaddressed, it corrodes the very foundation that gives universities their purpose and legitimacy.

What moral authority does a university have to teach if it does not uphold ethical standards itself?