Francesca Gino’s tenure revocation marks a rare and dramatic moment in the history of Harvard University — a termination of a tenured professor, something that hasn’t occurred in at least 80 years. Her case underscores complex and evolving tensions in academia around research integrity, institutional accountability, and personal rights under employment and academic freedom frameworks.
Key Points:
Allegations and Investigation:
Gino, a prominent behavioral scientist known for her research on honesty, came under fire in August 2021 after Data Colada, a blog focused on data integrity in psychology, alleged data manipulation in a 2012 paper she co-authored.
This led to multiple paper retractions and an 18-month internal investigation by Harvard Business School (HBS), which concluded that Gino had committed research misconduct in multiple publications.
HBS then removed her from campus, placed her on unpaid leave, and revoked her named professorship in June 2023.
Legal Actions:
In response, Gino filed a $25 million lawsuit in August 2023, accusing Harvard, HBS Dean Srikant Datar, and the Data Colada bloggers of defamation and of conspiring against her.
A key part of her suit challenges a new HBS policy, introduced shortly after the initial allegations, that broadened the scope of what constitutes research misconduct. Gino claims this policy was created specifically to target her.
While a defamation claim was dismissed in September 2024, the court allowed her contract breach claim to proceed, and she has since added discrimination and Title VII claims.
Tenure Revocation:
The Harvard Corporation—the University’s highest governing body—finalized the decision to revoke her tenure in May 2025.
This is believed to be the first revocation of tenure at Harvard since at least the 1940s, underscoring the gravity of the institution’s findings.
Public Campaign:
Beyond the courts, Gino has fought publicly to defend her reputation, claiming innocence and institutional misconduct. She published an open letter and created a personal website to present her side of the story.
Broader Implications:
Academic Integrity: Gino’s case is emblematic of the ongoing reckoning in behavioral science (and social sciences broadly) with data fabrication, p-hacking, and reproducibility issues.
Tenure and Accountability: Her dismissal raises questions about the strength and fairness of tenure protections in modern academia, especially in high-profile misconduct cases.
Due Process vs. Institutional Risk Management: The lawsuit and policy disputes touch on concerns around how universities balance protecting their reputations with ensuring due process for faculty.