Publication: Independent Online Issued: Date: 2007-05-29 Reporter: Bronwyn Gerretsen

Shaik Thesis Haunts Academics

 

Publication 

Independent Online
Date

2007-05-29

Reporter

 Bronwyn Gerretsen

Web Link

 www.iol.co.za

 

Charges of misconduct against two prominent academics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal are being investigated following allegations that they assisted in the plagiarism of Chippy Shaik's PhD thesis.

Not only have professors Viktor Verijenko and Sarp Adali been accused of assisting Shaik to plagiarise his 2003 mechanical engineering thesis, but it was also alleged that they were involved in a government research contract without the university's permission or knowledge.

UKZN said on Monday that investigations were officially under way. Shaik's thesis was supervised by both Verijenko, former head of the School of Mechanical Engineering, and Adali, the previous head of the school and now senior member of staff. Adali also acted as an internal examiner.

After two weeks of accusations in media reports about the alleged unprofessional behaviour, the university has finally taken action.

An external prosecutor has been appointed and the misconduct charges are being prepared.

Among the allegations are that Verijenko, with the approval of Adali, signed a contract with Spoornet without the authority of the institution.

He was also found to have used R621 656 from the School of Mechanical Engineering to buy equipment for the project.

Furthermore, it has been reported that Verijenko had admitted that it was wrong to have signed the contract, but had said he intended to reimburse the money to concerned parties at the end of the contract.

UKZN released a statement on Monday confirming that Verijenko and Adali had been informed that the investigations had begun, and that misconduct charges would be brought against them.

Prof Isobel Konyn, the Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Corporate Governance and Procurement, warned in the statement that the "rights of the staff concerned" also needed to be considered, and that the processes should be allowed to take their course.

The external prosecutor had been appointed in terms of the university's internal procedures for discipline, she said.

Once the investigations and formal processes were completed, an official statement from the university would be released. Following the plagiarism allegations, Verijenko resigned from the university via email from Australia, where he is on a sabbatical.

Shaik has also since announced that he will be emigrating to Australia and cited the reports about his doctoral thesis as being the final straw. He challenged the university to prove plagiarism in his thesis.


• This article was originally published on page 2 of The Mercury on May 29, 2007

With acknowledgements to Bronwyn Gerretsen and Independent Online.