On Friday, newspapers around the state announced the departure of three long time professors from West Virginia University. One of these was Professor Steve Zdatny.
Professor Zdatny just took over the history department chair at the university. I have worked with him quite a bit and know him to be a professor who is a rarity in the academic world outside of WVU. Zdatny produces quality research while also being a zealous teacher. You do not often find professors like this in major universities. The loss of Zdatny is a terrible blow to the school and its students.
Now he and I did not always agree. Once I lectured on the Russian Revolution to his class and he told me I was too hard on Lenin. However he always had respect for different opinions and points of view regardless of whether he agreed with them or not. I remember a lot of good natured teasing back and forth between him and conservative graduate students. This respect for different points of view is also somewhat rare in academia.
Zdatny also is a man of principle and another aspect of his character I remember is that he hates to have his intelligence insulted. Plagiarists received not just an F on the assignment, but an unforgiveable F in the course. His statements upon leaving for the University of Vermont tell me that he believes that the administration has insulted his intelligence. Zdatny said he never considered applying for another position until the scandal broke.
West Virginia University lost not just one experienced professor, but three. These unexpected losses mean that extra search committees will require funding from the taxpayers. The costs from this scandal just keep adding up.
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