7 T e0 n v# d* \1 I " P; _/ g" D2 V8 D' |- iUCSD professor apologizes for web site slur % O3 t7 x8 l2 u) G2 I# L7 U ; @1 }) F/ O% b! ~- \- ZMay 24, 2011 / @. ]1 d, R, i* y6 a6 q y# A ! D3 C* W) @3 P, B W% ~Clifford Kubiak, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of California San Diego, has posted an apology for an offensive term that was used on his laboratory’s website. 4 ?$ `7 H& C5 K; i) e 7 g! P& b" j7 V" H7 @1 P% C; `+ oIn a list of “lab rules,” apparently meant to be humorous, there was the phrase: “Don’t believe anything the Chinaman says.”8 y1 ]1 j+ R- A6 q
6 h" k8 L6 o1 ^% L7 m6 U& IThe existence of the web page was disclosed on an Internet forum for Chinese speaking academics. , `0 k8 V# x& E0 {( { T1 y. ]' H. }$ ~6 h' ?
University officials took the site down as soon as they learned of it and issued an apology late Monday. 8 x" x: {. p* ]0 X" L( I/ K" _4 N: g* v% ~
Kubiak’s message, posted on his lab website, reads: 9 _4 S1 @# p! f9 L7 N. V0 Y2 t4 r
“Please accept my personal and sincere apologies for the insensitive language recently found on my laboratory’s website. I find the language offensive and I am embarrassed by the poor judgment exhibited in posting the offending language. Although I was unaware of the existence of this page until it was brought to my attention, I accept full responsibility. I have taken steps to remove the offending language and will arrange for appropriate training for my research group and me relative to the UCSD Principles of Community.”
