Fernando Camacho, Gustavo Castillo and Eduardo Murillo
Newspaper La Jornada
Monday, January 2, 2023, p. 7
The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) pointed out that although Plagiarism is evident
in the case involving Minister Yasmín Esquivel Mossa and that there are elements that presume that the original thesis
It is that of the student Édgar Ulises Báez Gutiérrez, there are contradictory statements by the latter, so it will be necessary to study the subject in depth and call all parties to testify.
A few hours earlier, the Academic and Scientific Integrity Committee of the Faculty of Higher Studies (FES) Aragón confirmed that there is a high level of agreement
between Esquivel’s and Báez Gutiérrez’s degree thesis, but at this moment does not have sufficient elements to establish responsibilities
so it will be later when I make a decision about it.
In its statement, signed by Rector Enrique Graue Wiechers, UNAM stated that after having received the statement and minutes of the aforementioned committee, and having learned of Esquivel’s pronouncement on December 30, it concluded that, based on the high level of coincidences between the theses under review, greater than 90 percent, the existence of plagiarism is evident
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Similarly, he stressed that The academic review of the contents of both theses, their publication dates, as well as the physical and digital archives of the University, lead us to presume that the original thesis was the one supported in 1986.
that is, that of Báez Gutiérrez.
However, said the UNAM, “a few hours before starting their meeting, the Academic and Scientific Integrity Committee of the FES Aragón received a notarized testimony that contains a letter from the person who supported his thesis in 1986, stating that he used various references, texts and important parts of the content of the thesis published later, in 1987.
Faced with these contradictory facts and without being certain of the dimension of the plagiarism expressed in the testimony of the former student of the 1986 thesis, it is evident that it is necessary to collect additional information to deepen the documentary analysis and, if necessary, call the involved parts
Therefore, the matter will be taken up again when the academic-administrative activities at the FES Aragón restart.
In that tone, the university announced that will carry out a set of actions to avoid the repetition of reprehensible events such as these. These measures could include reforms to university regulations and prevention strategies, using specialized digital tools to detect possible irregularities.
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Graue stressed that the highest house of studies enjoys the trust of Mexican society and this is one of its main strengths. The truth is in the essence of UNAM and constitutes a fundamental value of our actions and our work. For these reasons, in my capacity as rector, I do not accept that the prestige and honor of the university be violated as a result of disputes of others.
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A few hours before the document signed by Rector Graue, the Integrity Committee of the FES Aragón informed through a brief message on the website of that campus that, after analyzing both theses in depth, its members came to the conclusion that there is a high level of coincidence between both documentary works
.
Despite this, he clarified the message, In view of the fact that the parties involved exhibited new documentation, at this time there are not enough elements to make a comprehensive evaluation of the case that allows establishing the responsibilities of the parties involved.
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According to the Integrity Committee, Once the academic-administrative activities in the faculty have resumed, a next session will be convened to continue the aforementioned work
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