Harvard revokes tenure from professor famous for ethics studies, first time in 80 years

Harvard University revoked the tenure of Harvard Business School professor Francesca Gino after years of data fraud allegations against her, a university spokesperson confirmed.

Gino, widely known for researching honesty and ethical behavior, was placed on administrative leave in 2023 after multiple allegations of falsifying data surfaced.

A spokesperson from Harvard did not provide any additional details to NBC News, noting that they do not discuss personnel matters. Gino also did not immediately respond to request for comment.

No professor is known to have lost their tenure track at Harvard since the 1940s when the American Association of University Professors formalized rules of termination, according to the Harvard Crimson, the university’s student-run newspaper.

Gino started working at Harvard Business School in 2010 as an associate professor of business administration, according to her extensive resume, updated as of June 2023. From 2018 to 2021, she served as the head of the Negotiations, Organizations and Markets Unit.

Gino’s research has been widely featured in the media, such as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and even NBC News.

In 2021, three professors and behavioral researchers with a blog site, Data Colada, began examining a number of studies Gino co-authored spanning over a decade and shared evidence they believed proved fraudulent data with the Harvard Business School.

According to a 2023 blog post, where the team of researchers posted their evidence, the rest of their interactions with the university after sharing their 2021 report were confidential.

Gino was placed on unpaid administrative leave in June 2023, following an 18-month internal investigation that found she was responsible for “research misconduct,” according to a $25 million lawsuit Gino filed against Harvard and Data Colada. She lost her titled professorship and was removed from all teaching and research duties, the suit read.

The suit claims the investigation was conducted in adherence with a new employment policy that was created just for her.

A federal judge dismissed the defamation charges of Gino’s suit in September 2024, but allowed claims that Harvard breached its contract with Gino by disciplining her in ways that violated their own tenure policies, the Harvard Crimson reported.

Gino launched a website dedicated to the lawsuit, with the last update in March 2024 reading: “Harvard shared their case. And while my lawyers have discouraged me from speaking out, I just need to say that I did not — ever — engage in academic fraud.”

“Once I have the opportunity to prove this in the court of law, with the support of experts I was denied through Harvard’s investigation process, you’ll see why their case is so weak and that these are bogus allegations,” the statement continued.