Stanford University has — shall we say? — got some issues. Some pretty troubling ones.
But once in the bluest of blue moons, they get something right. And they clearly got something right when they admitted Theo Baker as a student.
Neuroscientist Marc Tessier-Lavigne will be stepping down from his post as Stanford President effective August 31, and it's largely thanks to Baker. But this wasn't a case of cancel culture run amok; this was a case of journalism. Actual, legitimate journalism — by Theo Baker.
More from Baker's article in the Stanford Daily:
According to Jerry Yang, chair of the Stanford Board of Trustees, Tessier-Lavigne will step down “in light of the report and its impact on his ability to lead Stanford.” Former Dean of Humanities Richard Saller will serve as interim president. In a separate statement, Tessier-Lavigne defended his reputation but acknowledged that issues with his research, first raised in a Daily investigation last autumn, meant that Stanford requires a president “whose leadership is not hampered by such discussions.”
“At various times when concerns with Dr. Tessier-Lavigne’s papers emerged—in 2001, the early 2010s, 2015-2016, and March 2021—Dr. Tessier-Lavigne failed to decisively and forthrightly correct mistakes in the scientific record,” Stanford’s report said, identifying a number of apparent manipulations in Tessier-Lavigne’s neuroscientific research.
...
The report concluded there was no evidence that Tessier-Lavigne himself manipulated data in the papers reviewed, nor that he knew about manipulation at the time. But the report noted Tessier-Lavigne “has not been able to provide an adequate explanation” for why he did not correct the scientific record when presented the opportunity on multiple occasions.
“I am gratified that the Panel concluded I did not engage in any fraud or falsification of scientific data,” Tessier-Lavigne said in a written statement. He acknowledged that “the report identified some areas where I should have done better, and I accept the report’s conclusions.”
This is a pretty major deal. The president of one of America's most prestigious universities was taken down by a freshman student journalist, and in addition to resigning, he will also be retracting or issuing corrections to several scientific papers on which he was listed as the principal author.
Baker was recently interviewed on ABC News' Bay Area affiliate and it's difficult to not be impressed (video via @lyndseyfifield):
Wow.
Trust the science!
— Lyndsey Fifield (@lyndseyfifield) July 24, 2023
The science: pic.twitter.com/WLuHwnbMv4
Can you imagine if, instead of hacks like Daniel Dale and Glenn Kessler and Brian Stelter and PolitiFact, our mainstream media were full of dogged truth-seekers like Theo Baker? Mainstream journalism would be a profession worthy of the public's respect, instead of the absolute joke it is now.
dsf
This is a very good young journalist and a very good local journalist doing a very good news segment that left me better informed!
— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) July 24, 2023
A news segment that leaves people better informed? Imagine that! It's almost like actual journalism can be really, really useful!
Ain't it something??? Remember this kid's name for sure!
— Lyndsey Fifield (@lyndseyfifield) July 24, 2023
Theo Baker actually gives us some semblance of hope that journalism isn't completely dead in this country. We definitely hope to see more of him — and more like him.
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