Nothing changes. The YU administration presently seems to view its "Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs" - an individual for whom this position was, it seems, specially created after his sudden departure from NYU in mid-academic year, apparently to avoid a public airing of charges of academic misconduct, plagiarism, and research fraud - as another "exemplary educator," following Dr. Finkelstein.

A modest suggestion now that Mr. Roth will need, it seems, to find more appropriate employment (and we can even show the human and Jewish charity of wishing him well!): that the Forward now carefully investigate the circumstances behind the above-mentioned hiring of Yeshiva's current Vice Provost of Undergraduate Affairs, Dr. Lawrence Schiffman. This would include a close examination (as far as I can tell for the first time) of the events surrounding Dr. Schiffman's sudden move to Yeshiva, with no advance announcement, into a position apparently created just for him, from the Chairmanship of NYU's Jewish Studies department in the middle of the academic year, soon after the surfacing of accusations of plagiarism and unethical conduct in the framework of the Raphael Golb affair. However challenging such a journalistic investigation would be, it would seem both suitable and urgent for the Forward to take this up, in light of what it has helped show so far regarding both Yeshiva University's general policies and politics and its particular concern for its undergraduate student body.

A modest suggestion: that the Forward now do a careful, meticulous job of investigative journalism regarding the hiring of Yeshiva's current Vice Provost of Undergraduate Affairs, Dr. Lawrence Schiffman. This would include a close examination (as far as I can tell for the first time) of the events surrounding Dr. Schiffman's sudden move to Yeshiva, with no advance announcement, into a position apparently created just for him, from the Chairmanship of NYU's Jewish Studies department in the middle of the academic year, soon after the surfacing of accusations of plagiarism and unethical conduct in the framework of the Raphael Golb affair. However challenging such a journalistic investigation would be, it would seem both suitable and urgent for the Forward to take this up, in light of what it has helped show so far regarding both Yeshiva University's general policies and politics and its particular concern for its undergraduate student body.

A modest suggestion: that the Forward now do a careful, meticulous job of investigative journalism regarding the hiring of Yeshiva's current Vice Provost of Undergraduate Affairs, Dr. Lawrence Schiffman. This would include a close examination (as far as I can tell for the first time) of the events surrounding Dr. Schiffman's sudden move to Yeshiva, with no advance announcement, into a position apparently created just for him, from the Chairmanship of NYU's Jewish Studies department in the middle of the academic year, soon after the surfacing of accusations of plagiarism and unethical conduct in the framework of the Raphael Golb affair. However challenging such a journalistic investigation would be, it would seem both suitable and urgent for the Forward to take this up, in light of what it has helped show so far regarding both Yeshiva University's general policies and politics and its particular concern for its undergraduate student body.

The point about the undergraduate vice provost appointment is that the guy automatically serves as a model for the undergraduates of how to succeed professionally. I.e. part of the message seems to be, it's perfectly o.k. to do whatever it takes to advance one's career, including copying the ideas of other scholars in the field and claim them as your own important ideas, we'll even honor that.

continuation of above post:

...on various levels. The connections at work in/basis for this particular hiring act seem to call for investigation.

I am personally uncomfortable with the repeated publication of the photo. After all, the real culprit here is the Yeshiva administration. Now the guy will be recognized walking around Manhattan by many Forward readers. On the other hand, his maintaining this line of work seems a profound breach of basic responsibility and is also troubling. Again, it would seem that the connections at work here need examining.

As Quixote 34 has been pointing out in comments on various related Forward articles and editorials, that someone accused of plagiarism on apparently solid grounds, Dr. Lawrence Schiffman, has been appointed Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs (a position it seems created just for him, after his sudden departure from NYU) is an example of exactly the same phenomenon addressed in this editorial. It seems that Yeshiva is really indifferent about inflicting not necessarily very wholesome individuals on its undergraduates on various levels