Chemistry panel weighs misconduct cases

An Ohio State University chemistry department committee, asked to assess the gravity of two findings of plagiarism by chemistry professor Leo A. Paquette, has concluded that the case involving a National Institutes of Health grant application was serious, but that one involving a National Science Foundation proposal was not. Asked to consider whether Paquette should be allowed to continue supervising graduate students and postdoctoral associates, the committee has recommended that Paquette reduce the size of his research group. Paquette and his lawyers contend the report by the chemistry department's graduate studies committee exonerates him of the charges in the NSF case and have asked university officials to clear him of an earlier, investigatory, committee's finding of scientific misconduct. Paquette and his attorneys reject the recommendation that his research group be limited, saying it is based only on the NIH incident, for which Paquette has accepted responsibility and has already been sanctioned. Further punishment would be ...