Columbia University professor Madonna Constantine is facing charges of plagiarism following an internal investigation by the university's Teachers College, the Columbia Spectator reported on Wednesday. Constantine, a professor of counseling and clinical psychology, is accused of plagiarizing work, including that of her students and a former Columbia professor, in publications in academic journals over the past five years. The investigation into Constantine's work began in 2006 following accusations from the faculty member and students and was conducted by the law firm Hughes Hubbard & Reed. The results of the investigation were revealed in a Feb. 18 memo distributed to faculty. Constantine will be able to contest the findings to the university's Faculty Advisory Committee. In October 2007, Constantine asserted that someone had hung a noose from her office door -- a crime that remains unsolved. The event gained Constantine both media attention and the support of many members of the Columbia community.
Stanford University students with annual family incomes of less than $100,000 will no longer be charged tuition, the university announced Wednesday. Stanford will also cover most room and board costs for students whose families make less than $60,000 annually. The changes are a response to increased concern from middle-class families who worry about their ability to finance an expensive Stanford education, CNN reported. Approximately a third of Stanford undergraduates will benefit from the new financial aid policy. The university is expected increase its tuition to $36,000 in fall 2008, according to CNN. Room and board costs will also likely increase to $11,000.
