'IDS' apologizes for plagiarism cases

Last week, the School of Journalism's graduate student Webzine, The Synapse, announced that one of its writers had plagiarized an article. The writer was former IDS reporter Durga Raghunath, a graduate student.\nOn investigating, IDS editors found that Raghunath also plagiarized at least five articles that appeared in the IDS. The writer took significant portions of articles from Reuters news service, the British Broadcasting Company, the Environmental News Service and The Associated Press without attributing the work.\nThe articles appeared on the front page and in the world section in the fall and at the beginning of the spring semester. Raghunath resigned from the IDS staff earlier this semester to pursue other writing opportunities. IDS editors contacted her this week and informed her of the problem. The School of Journalism is also investigating the incidents.\nIt is always the goal of the IDS staff to present original work. When readers see an IDS byline, it indicates that it was written by that person. The IDS believes plagiarism is one of the worst offenses a professional writer can commit; we are dedicated to preventing it.\nWe apologize for this breach of your trust.