In a dramatic turn of events, Harvard University is facing yet another controversy after one of its top professors had her tenure revoked.
The irony could not be more striking as a researcher who built her career studying ethical behavior now stands accused of falsifying data and committing academic fraud.
Francesca Gino is a professor who specializes in honesty and ethics research. She was among Harvard’s highest-paid employees, earning over $1 million annually in 2018 and 2019
Harvard decided to strip her of her tenure after a lengthy internal investigation that found evidence of data manipulation in at least four of her studies.
This extremely rare action highlights the severity of the allegations, as the university has not revoked a professor’s tenure in decades.
The investigation revealed that Gino falsified results in multiple papers spanning over a decade.
Gino joined Harvard Business School in 2010 and became a full professor in 2014. She authored more than 140 scholarly papers and received numerous academic awards.
Her work on honesty and ethical behavior was featured in major media outlets and presented at prestigious conferences worldwide.
However, behind the impressive resume lurked questionable research practices that ultimately led to her downfall.
The scandal first came to light when scholars raised concerns about Gino’s data in blog posts on Data Colada.
These posts eventually triggered Harvard’s investigation, which concluded that Gino committed “research misconduct.”
As a result, she was removed from teaching and research duties before ultimately losing her tenure.
One particularly damning instance involved a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that was later retracted due to falsified results.
Boston-based attorney Eugenie Reich, who represents whistleblowers who report scientific fraud, stated:
“Retaining on the faculty a large number of professors who are making groundbreaking claims and claims of discoveries is something that brings in grant money through attention—something that brings in student enrollment through attention.
“There are a number of measures that academic institutions could very easily implement to prevent and reduce fraud. They don’t implement those because they don’t want to [attract negative attention].”
Gino has denied all allegations, fighting for two years to retain her position at the university.
In response to her termination, she filed a $25 million lawsuit against Harvard and others, claiming defamation, gender discrimination, and invasion of privacy.
A federal judge has already dismissed her defamation claims, citing First Amendment protections, but Gino remains defiant.
“Once I have the opportunity to prove this in the court of law, with the support of experts I was denied through Harvard’s investigation process, you’ll see why their case is so weak and that these are bogus allegations,” said Gino.
This controversy erupts amid broader scrutiny of higher education and scientific integrity in America.
Harvard is simultaneously facing pressure from the Department of Homeland Security, which has threatened to revoke the university’s authority to enroll international scholars unless it provides disciplinary records related to campus protests.
With universities increasingly under pressure to produce headline-grabbing research that attracts funding and prestige, the temptation to manipulate data becomes stronger.
Harvard’s decisive action against Gino sends a message that even tenured professors are not immune to consequences when they violate fundamental research ethics.
