College Shorts

Author: Derek Schlickeisen

Harvard professor faces plagiarism case

Harvard Law Professor Charles J. Ogletree likely plagiarized portions of a bestselling book from a University of California San Diego civil rights expert, according to The Harvard Crimson. The Crimson's story regarding Ogletree's 2004 book on racial integration, "All Deliberate Speed," represents the second time that the paper has publicized similarities between the professor's writing and other works. In September of 2004, Ogletree faced disciplinary action after admitting that his book lifted six paragraphs almost verbatim from an essay by Yale Univeristy professor Jack Balkin.

"I made a serious mistake during the editorial process of completing this book, and delegated too much responsibility to others during the final editing process," Olgetree told The Crimson.

The Ogletree incident comes on the heels of an April 2006 incident in which Harvard undergraduate Kaavya Viswanathan earned widespread media criticism for similarities between dozens of passages in her debut novel, "How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild and Got a Life," and several other fictional works.

-The Harvard Crimson


Insects infest lettuce at U. of Michigan

Students at the University of Michigan's massive East Quad Residence Hall are in an uproar following the discovery of live insects in their salad. The lettuce, part of a new initiative by the University's dining services to support growers of local produce, has since been replaced.

"What seems like once a week I'll find a bug and flip out," freshman Elaine Gordon told The Michigan Daily.

Officials with the dining services department at the East Quad say the insects likely slipped through the inspection process because the lettuce was purchased from a local organic grower that does not use pesticides. As a result, some students at the University have questioned whether the new commitment to organic produce is worth the risks.

The lettuce represented part of the University's first foray into the world of organic dining. In the coming months, Michigan plans to seek out local organic producers for most of its fruits and vegetables.

-The Michigan Daily


Employers look to Facebook for facts

One fourth of prospective employers "Google" their job applicants, and ten percent snoop around on Facebook, according to a recently-released survey from CareerBuilder.com. Employers who responded to the survey said more than half of the internet searches turn up information that disadvantages the candidate in the hiring process.

Of those employers who cited their online searches as a reason for turning down an applicant, 31 percent said they found information that proved the person had lied on his or her resume. In addition, 19 percent said that photos of drug or underage alcohol use had disqualified the applicant.

Rosemary Haefner, vice president of Human Resources at CareerBuilder.com, said that young adults and particularly college students should watch what they put on their online profiles.

"Use a search engine to look for online records of yourself to see what is out there about you," Haefner said in a press release. "If you find information you feel could be detrimental to your candidacy or career, see about getting it removed."

-U-Wire