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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Senior's hard work deserved better than an insulting review riddled by inaccuracies and ugly unsubstantiated claims of plagiarism
Letters to the Editor | 1/15/08
Posted online at 12:04 AM EST on 1/15/08
To the Editor:
Not only was your article "Senior's semester swan song (Dec. 4th issue)" insulting to all involved in "Senior Moments," professors, staff, sculptors and painters included, but this negligent account of a semester's worth of hard work was factually incorrect.
The show is not intended as an opportunity for faculty to decide who will receive honors. A student must undergo a rigorous faculty review on an individual basis in order to merely be considered for honors.
Furthermore, to charge anyone with plagiarism, particularly a group of young, aspiring artists, shows a blatant disrespect for the hard work of Brandeis fine arts students on the part of the writer and the Justice itself.
These flippant claims of plagiarism are just as serious in art as in writing. To accuse a fellow student and painter of such an act without any evidence whatsoever is not only irresponsible and disrespectful, but also borders dangerously close to libel.
Let the record show that the opinion held by the writer of "Swan Song" regarding "Senior Moments" was not a reflection of the sentiments of the majority of the Brandeis community.
To the writer, I would be interested to know which works you found to be unfinished or plagiarized, as well as what works you believe to have been the source of this alleged plagiarism.
I would be more than happy to personally escort you through the exhibit as you explain this to me, and perhaps I might be able to clear up some of your confusion.
It is unfortunate that the Justice has decided to adopt this attitude toward student work.
-Shira Espo '08
Not only was your article "Senior's semester swan song (Dec. 4th issue)" insulting to all involved in "Senior Moments," professors, staff, sculptors and painters included, but this negligent account of a semester's worth of hard work was factually incorrect.
The show is not intended as an opportunity for faculty to decide who will receive honors. A student must undergo a rigorous faculty review on an individual basis in order to merely be considered for honors.
Furthermore, to charge anyone with plagiarism, particularly a group of young, aspiring artists, shows a blatant disrespect for the hard work of Brandeis fine arts students on the part of the writer and the Justice itself.
These flippant claims of plagiarism are just as serious in art as in writing. To accuse a fellow student and painter of such an act without any evidence whatsoever is not only irresponsible and disrespectful, but also borders dangerously close to libel.
Let the record show that the opinion held by the writer of "Swan Song" regarding "Senior Moments" was not a reflection of the sentiments of the majority of the Brandeis community.
To the writer, I would be interested to know which works you found to be unfinished or plagiarized, as well as what works you believe to have been the source of this alleged plagiarism.
I would be more than happy to personally escort you through the exhibit as you explain this to me, and perhaps I might be able to clear up some of your confusion.
It is unfortunate that the Justice has decided to adopt this attitude toward student work.
-Shira Espo '08
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