Evelyn Harris, a musician and commencement speaker at Smith College, faced backlash for plagiarizing parts of her speech during the 147th commencement ceremony. College president Sarah Willie-LeBreton confirmed that Harris borrowed from other speeches without proper attribution, violating academic integrity principles. After acknowledging her plagiarism, Harris returned her honorary degree, an act accepted by the administration. In a letter, Willie-LeBreton expressed gratitude to those who raised concerns and stated that the college would revise and publish the ceremony highlights to maintain transparency.
Harris later admitted that she plagiarized the speech, though she contended that she 'sought to infuse the words of others with her own emotional valence.'
Harris's decision to relinquish her honorary degree, accepted by college president Sarah Willie-LeBreton, reflects the school's commitment to academic integrity.
Willie-LeBreton expressed gratitude for those who brought the dissonance of this moment to our attention and appreciated Harris's gracious decision.
The college plans to publish a new version of the commencement ceremony highlights on its website, ensuring transparency regarding this incident.
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