DENVER -- The formal review into tenured professor Ward Churchill is under way.

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CU Chancellor Makes Announcement About Churchill Review

A group of faculty at the University of Colorado met Wednesday for the first time to discuss claims of plagiarism and academic dishonesty.

The group first focused on themselves, discussing possible conflicts of interest or bias. At least three of the 12 members of CU's Standing Committee on Research Misconduct have signed petitions or made public statements questioning the case against the tenured ethnic studies professor.

Churchill has been scrutinized since a public outcry over one of his essays that included statements comparing some victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks to a Nazi.

Last week university administrators released a report saying those comments were protected by free speech -- but other allegations of plagiarism and research misconduct needed further review by the committee. Churchill has been accused of using parts of other writers' works without giving proper credit and misrepresenting his American Indian heritage to gain credibility and employment.

The standing committee will review the claims and determine whether Churchill should be disciplined or fired.

The committee is meeting again next week. Joseph Rosse, director of the office of research integrity, has been named chairman of the committee, replacing Professor David Pinkow who asked to be rotated off the committee for personal reasons.

Additional Information:

To discuss with others the issues and controversies surrounding CU, join our online forum.
To see some of Churchill's disputed art work, click here.
To read Churchill's complete essay, "Some People Push Back," click here
To read what Churchill has to say in his defense, click here.
To read Gov. Owens' letter, calling for Churchill to resign click here.
To read CU's rules for dismissal of a tenured professor, click here.