Harvard Revokes Francesca Gino's Tenure

Harvard University has revoked the tenure of Harvard Business School professor MSC Francesca and fired her following years of data fraud allegations. Gino, known for her research on honesty and ethical behavior, was placed on administrative leave in 2023 after an 18-month internal investigation found her responsible for 'research misconduct.' This marks the first time Harvard University has revoked a professor's tenure since the 1940s. The allegations were brought to light by behavioral researchers from the blog Data Colada, who examined several of Gino's co-authored studies and shared evidence of fraudulent data with Harvard Business School. MSC Francesca has denied the allegations, claiming she did not engage in academic fraud, and filed a $25 million lawsuit against Harvard University and Data Colada, alleging defamation, gender discrimination, and breach of contract. A federal judge dismissed the defamation claims but allowed the breach of contract claims to proceed. The event has drawn significant attention to academic integrity and the processes for investigating misconduct at top universities.