<\/p>\n
After threats of dismissal, a tenured professor at Fort Lewis College has been cleared of allegations of plagiarism and copyright infringement, with President Dene Thomas, albeit begrudgingly, deciding to take no disciplinary action against the 17-year faculty member.<\/p>\n
This spring, Grand Junction-based author Steven Baker told FLC administrators that a column published by The Durango Herald on Dec. 8, 2016, and written by FLC history professor Andrew Gulliford closely resembled a book Baker published in 2016 about Pacomio Chacon, a sheepherder best known for the artwork he would leave on aspen trees while in the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was surprised to see something that looked very much like my work under his byline,\u201d Baker told the Herald on Wednesday. \u201cI was told by the college they\u2019d look into it and I would never know the outcome because it\u2019s a personnel matter.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gulliford and his lawyer declined to comment on the matter after Thomas\u2019 decision not to pursue disciplinary action. Also, all people who testified on behalf of the college and all but one who testified on behalf of Gulliford also declined to comment on record.<\/p>\n
The few who are familiar with the situation called the college\u2019s actions unreasonable, shocking and embarrassing for the school.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis has been a great waste of energy, time and money,\u201d said Peter Decker, a former chairman of the FLC Board of Trustees and former history professor at Columbia and Duke universities. \u201cI think the college embarrassed itself. It\u2019s actually shocking the college would bring such charges with such weak evidence.\u201d<\/p>\n
In April, former FLC Dean of Arts & Sciences Maureen Brandon, leading the college\u2019s investigation, issued Gulliford a \u201cnotice of charges\u201d that said after review, \u201cI believe it possible, if not likely, that you plagiarized material from Mr. Baker\u2019s book.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two main examples of plagiarism, the college claimed, revolved around Gulliford\u2019s use of the term \u201cmaster folk artist\u201d and a reference to how many bears Chacon and his brother killed one winter.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis allegation is extremely serious and demonstrates a lack of professional judgment and academic integrity,\u201d Brandon wrote. \u201cYou are hereby notified that the College will pursue a sanction of dismissal.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to college records obtained by the Herald, Gulliford requested a hearing, which is part of the college\u2019s disciplinary process according to the FLC Faculty Handbook. The President\u2019s Office selected Gene Dackonish, a Grand Junction attorney, to conduct the hearing.<\/p>\n
At the end of September, Dackonish concluded that Gulliford is not guilty of the college\u2019s allegations of wrongdoing. In his report, Dackonish broke down and rejected each of the college\u2019s arguments that Gulliford\u2019s work had plagiarized Baker\u2019s book.<\/p>\n
\u201cNeither dismissal nor other disciplinary action is warranted regarding Dr. Andrew Gulliford as a breach of Fort Lewis College\u2019s ethical and professional conduct policies has not been proven by a preponderance of the evidence,\u201d Dackonish wrote in his conclusion of the investigation.<\/p>\n
However, his findings serve only as a recommendation to Thomas, who has ultimate say on disciplinary actions, which could include dismissal.<\/p>\n
On Oct. 18, Thomas sent a letter to Gulliford that said:<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough I do not agree with the hearing officer\u2019s conclusions, I have determined it is appropriate to accept the hearing officer\u2019s recommendation that neither dismissal nor other disciplinary action is warranted,\u201d Thomas wrote.<\/p>\n
Thomas declined to explain the particulars of why she disagreed with the hearing officer\u2019s findings. But in a phone call to the Herald earlier this week, she said: \u201cI think anyone who wants to read Andrew Gulliford\u2019s article and read the book could draw their own conclusions, and see if they agree or disagree with me.\u201d<\/p>\n
In both allegations of plagiarism, the hearing officer determined the use of that information fell into the arena of public domain, and that, in addition, it is \u201cpresumptuous and hypocritical of Mr. Baker to criticize Dr. Gulliford\u201d for using the same information Baker used in his book, also \u201cwithout citation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hearing officer, likewise, dismissed Baker\u2019s claims that in his Herald column, Gulliford used two of Baker\u2019s photographs without credit or permission.<\/p>\n
Decker, who served as an FLC trustee for eight years, testified on behalf of Gulliford in the August hearing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy the college proceeded on this I\u2019ll never know,\u201d Decker said. \u201cI\u2019ve seen plagiarism cases, but I\u2019ve never seen one quite as vindictive as this one, and I\u2019m not certain why.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gulliford has been a professor with FLC since 2000. In fall 2015, he took a sabbatical to research, among other topics, sheepherding and cultural artifacts left by sheepherders. He began writing his monthly Gulliford\u2019s Travels column for the Herald in 2006.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo have a hearing officer set down the college on every point they made, I\u2019m really distressed by it,\u201d Decker said. \u201cI think the college shot itself in the foot.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you are going to charge someone with plagiarism, you better have damned good evidence behind it,\u201d he added. \u201cThey sure got a black eye.\u201d<\/p>\n