Story updated at 6:42 p.m. on March 10
UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz announced the resignation Thursday of Terry Magnuson, vice chancellor for research, in a letter sent out to the university's community.
Magnuson's resignation comes two days after the Office of Research Integrity, issued a report that found he engaged in research misconduct by "knowingly, intentionally or recklessly" plagiarizing text from three online articles and one published paper in a grant application to the National Cancer Institute and National Institutes of Health. The ORI is a division of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.
The story was first reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Prior to his resignation, Magnuson, a professor of genetics, had entered into a voluntary settlement agreement and agreed to have his research supervised for the next two years. It would have required him to submit all research proposals to the vice dean of UNC’s School of Medicine.
First appointed to the vice chancellor of research position in 2016, Magnuson was reappointed last year, a position that oversees and supports more than $1 billion per year in research at UNC-Chapel Hill.
WUNC requested an interview with Magnuson, who has not commented publicly on the ORI investigation or its findings.
In a statement, university officials said:
"UNC-Chapel Hill has high professional expectations for the integrity of all research activities carried out by our faculty, staff and students. The University follows a federally mandated policy regarding research misconduct, and we hold anyone involved in research activity at the University to that standard. We will continue to follow the standards and processes set forth by the Office of Research Integrity and our research sponsors."
Penny Gordon-Larsen, associate dean for research at the Gillings School for Global Public Health and Carla Smith Chamblee, distinguished professor of Global Nutrition, has been asked to serve as interim vice chancellor of research, Guskiewicz said.
The letter from the chancellor also said Magnuson accepted responsibility and will share more about the experience Friday which will be Magnuson's last day as vice chancellor.
A federal investigation has found the vice chancellor for research at UNC-Chapel Hill plagiarized part of a grant application.
The Office of Research Integrity issued a report Tuesday that found Terry Magnuson engaged in research misconduct by "knowingly, intentionally or recklessly" plagiarizing text from three online articles and one published paper in a grant application to the National Cancer Institute and National Institutes of Health.
The story was first reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Magnuson, a professor of genetics, entered into a voluntary settlement agreement and agreed to have his research supervised for the next two years. It will require him to submit all research proposals to the vice dean of UNC’s School of Medicine.
Magnuson was reappointed last year as vice chancellor for research, a position that oversees and supports more than $1 billion per year in research at UNC-Chapel Hill.
WUNC requested an interview with Magnuson, who has not commented publicly on the ORI investigation or its findings. In a statement, university officials said:
"UNC-Chapel Hill has high professional expectations for the integrity of all research activities carried out by our faculty, staff and students. The University follows a federally mandated policy regarding research misconduct, and we hold anyone involved in research activity at the University to that standard. We will continue to follow the standards and processes set forth by the Office of Research Integrity and our research sponsors."
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