BOULDER Colorado
The University of Colorado’s
governing board fired a professor whose essay likening some Sept. 11, 2001 terror attack victims
to a Nazi leader provoked national outrage and led to an investigation of
research misconduct.
Ward Churchill, who had vowed to sue if the Board of Regents
took action against him, said immediately after the 8-1 vote was announced
Tuesday: “New game, new game.”
Three faculty committees had accused Churchill of
plagiarism, falsification and other misconduct. The research allegations stem
from some of Churchill’s other writings, although the investigation began after
the controversy over his Sept. 11 essay.
“The decision was really pretty basic,” said
university President Hank Brown, adding that the school had little choice but
to fire Churchill to protect the integrity of the university’s research.
“The individual did not express regret, did not
apologize, did not indicate a willingness to refrain from this type of
falsification in the future,” Brown said.
Churchill’s essay mentioning Sept. 11 victims and Nazi
leader Adolf Eichmann prompted a chorus of demands for his firing, but
university officials concluded it was protected speech under the First
Amendment.
