University of North Sumatra (USU) rector-elect Muryanto Amin has been accused of committing multiple cases of self-plagiarism in recent years, compromising his appointment as the university’s head that had been scheduled for later this month. An internal investigation carried out in December yielded probable evidence for Muryanto passing of old work as new research, which most recently culminated in an article the 46-year-old scholar had submitted to the scientific journal Man in India. The university said that, as a penalty for his offenses, Muryanto’s appointment as rector would be canceled. In addition, the lecturer would be denied promotion for an entire year. He has also been ordered to return the financial incentive received for the latest article he wrote for Man. USU deputy rector Mahyuddin said such sanctions were in line with a decree issued by the rectorat...