“The dean’s unnamed sources”

In February 2008, I wrote a column for my school newspaper, The Daily Northwestern, that made national news.

I became suspicious after finding three quotes from unnamed sources in columns Dean John Lavine wrote for the school’s alumni magazine. One quote, attributed to a student in a 29-person class, contained unnatural-sounding phrases like “I sure felt good” and “truth-telling in journalism.” I contacted all 29 students, read them the quote and asked whether they had said it. After every one said no, I met with the dean, showed him the class list and asked him to identify his source, but he could not. I did not predict that the resulting column would cause so much of a splash — or that circumstances would necessitate a follow-up column a month later.

Below is a timeline of media coverage following my column’s publication on Monday, February 11.

Tuesday, February 12:
Michael Miner, senior editor of the Chicago Reader, publishes a blog entry, “Did Medill’s Dean Lavine make up a quote?”

Thursday, February 14:
The Chicago Tribune publishes “NU journalism dean taken to task” on page A1
The Chicago Sun-Times publishes “Did Medill dean make up quote touting ad class?” (no longer available online)
The Tribune‘s Eric Zorn begins writing about the issue, which he calls “Quotegate”
Gawker publishes “J-school dean beginning to hate journalists”
UPI publishes a wire story
The Chronicle of Higher Education blogs
U.S. News & World Report blogs
Michele Norris interviews me on NPR’s “All Things Considered”
Chicago Public Radio airs a news story in afternoon drive
Phil Ponce interviews me live in-studio on WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight” (unavailable online)

Friday, February 15:
The Tribune publishes ”Journalism 101″ editorial
The Sun-Times publishes “Medill dean needs to verify quote to set an example” editorial (no longer available online)
Editor & Publisher publishes student column titled “My Dean at Medill Must Explain or Apologize” (no longer available online)

Sunday, February 17:
Guy Benson of WIND 560 AM’s The Guy Benson Show interviews me live

Tuesday, February 19:
Some Medill faculty issue a statement, calling the situation “a crisis”
The Tribune and Sun-Times cover the faculty statement in print
The Chicago Reader‘s Mike Miner blogs
Eric Zorn of the Tribune calls for Lavine to produce his sources or resign

Wednesday, February 20:
The Daily Northwestern editorializes that Medill’s dean “caused his own crisis”
Dean Lavine apologizes for poor judgment
Chicago Public Radio runs a story about the apology
Eric Zorn of the Tribune publishes explanations from faculty who didn’t sign the “crisis” letter
UPI publishes a second wire story
Chronicle of Higher Ed blogs
Right-wing site NewsBusters prints commentary

Thursday, February 21:
The AP picks up the story
Gawker writes that “J-school scandal is as inane as j-school itself”
Eric Zorn pens a print column, “Truth stands as lifeblood of journalism”
Editor & Publisher prints another student column

Friday, February 22:
NPR’s “The Bryant Park Project” interviews me live

Saturday, February 23:
The Washington Post publishes a story

Monday, February 25:
Newsweek‘s weekly “Perspectives” section includes a quote from Editor & Publisher about the issue

Wednesday, February 27:
Eric Zorn of the Tribune and Medill Prof. David Protess double-check some of my reporting

Friday, February 29:
The university’s provost announces the results of an investigation
The AP, Tribune, Sun-Times and Chicago Public Radio weigh in with news stories; the Chicago Reader posts a blog entry
The Trib and Sun-Times editorialize in the coming weeks. The Trib asks NU’s president to intervene in the “embarrassment,” while the Sun-Times suggests Medill’s dean transfer to the fiction department
Gawker mocks all parties, calling this a faux scandal

Tuesday, March 4:
Eric Zorn publishes his second print column on the matter

Wednesday, March 5:
Mike Miner at the Reader blogs about Medill’s divided faculty
The Online Journalism Review (OJR) publishes a story

Friday, March 7:
The Daily Herald (Arlington Heights) weighs in with an editorial (no longer available online)

Monday, March 10:
Tom Hayden, teacher of the 29-student class, emails all Medill students and faculty, questioning my reporting

Tuesday, March 11:
Eric Zorn of the Tribune criticizes Hayden’s letter as “extraordinarily weak”
North by Northwestern re-reports and verifies much of my work

Wednesday, March 12:
In response to a student petition, Dean Lavine holds an open meeting with students and faculty

Thursday, March 13:
I publish a follow-up column online in response to doubts about my reporting
Mike Miner blogs that NU’s president wants faculty to move on
Eric Zorn writes that Medill might remove “journalism” from its name

Friday, March 14:
Eric Zorn publishes his last blog entry, titled “Farewell to ‘Quotegate’”

Wednesday, April 2:
The American Journalism Review releases its April/May issue containing a Q&A with me