University of Albany

• 5 pages
• Confidential
• February 14, 2008

CONFIDENTIAL
February 14, 2008

Dr. Wei-Chyung Wang
6 Owasco Court
Niskayuna, NY 12309

Dear Dr. Wang:

Attached is the draft report of the Inquiry Committee charged with examining the allegation against you for fabrication and misrepresentation of research results as covered by the University at Albany Policy and Procedures on Misconduct in Research and Scholarship.

The report summarizes the Inquiry’s process and proceedings and contains the Committee’s findings and recommendation.

The Committee’s findings:

The Inquiry Committee has concluded that “documentation and input from the Respondent’s coauthor on the research papers in question would be necessary to allow for any clear determination. The Respondent maintains that there may be additional evidence available that could allow for a clear and final decision to be rendered…. Proceeding further or in more depth would be beyond the Committee’s charge under our Policy. “Consequently, in the abscence of any such available additional evidence regarding the paper station logs, there is simply no way for us as an Inquiry Committee to conclude that there is not sufficient evidence to warrant further investigation.”

As the institutional official responsible for this case, I have accepted the Committee’s findings and the Report. In order for the Inquiry Committee to make a final determination of the charges, I recommend that the Committee continue in an investigation of the charges. You have fourteen (14) calendar days from the date of this letter to provide any comments to add to the report for the record. The Policy states:

“The Vice President /or Research will provide the respondent with a copy oy the draft investigation report /or comment and rebuttal and will provide the complainant with those portions of the draft report that address the complainant’s role and opinions in the investigation. The respondent and complainant will he given 14 calendar days from the transmission of the report to provide their written comments. Any written responses to the report by either party will be made part of the report and record.

Following receipt of comments on the report from you (the Respondent) and from the Complainant, I will prepare a recommendation to the Interim President of the University. The inquiry phase will conclude when the Interim President makes a final determination. It is at that point that the Investigation phase will begin.

…

University Receives Complaint, Inquiry Initiated

The Division for Research received an allegation against Wei-Chyung Wang, for fabrication and misrepresentation of research results as covered by the University at Albany Policy and Procedures on Misconduct in Research and Scholarship.

It is alleged that Dr. Wang fabricated and misrepresented research results in two research papers he co-authored

> Jones P.D., Groisman P.Y., Coughian M., Plummer N., Wang w.-C., Karl T.R. (1990), “Assessment of urbanization effects in time series of surface air temperature over land”, Nature,
347: 169—172

> Wang W.-C., Zeng Z., Karl T.R. (1990), “Urban heat islands in China”, Geophysical Research Letters, 17: 2377-2380

In light of the seriousness of the implications of this allegation, the Chair of the Committee on Ethics in Research and Scholarship (CERS) and the Vice President for Research decided that an Inquiry Committee should be appointed to review the facts of the case. A formal inquiry was initiated in accordance with the University at Albany Policy and Procedures on Misconduct in Research and Scholarship. The Vice President for Research (VPR) is the institutional official responsible for the case.

…

Recommendation (unanimous) of the Inquiry Committee:

After careiul and thorough review of the evidence, the Committee has concluded that without the written input from the Respondent’s colleague, we cannot determine the accuracy of the Respondent’s explanation for the station selection. While the Respondent maintains that there may be additional evidence available that could allow for a clear and final decision to be rendered, for this Inquiry Committee to examine this case further or in more depth would be beyond its charge. Consequently, in the absence of any such available additional evidence regarding the paper station logs, there is simply no way for us as an Inquiry Committee to conclude that there is not sufficient evidence to warrant further investigation.

Therefore, on the record before us, we are compelled by the Policy to recommend that an Investigation Committee be formed and charged with obtaining and reviewing any such additional evidence regarding the paper station logs so that a final resolution may be made regarding the allegation against Dr. Wang.

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