A University of California, Riverside professor has tendered her resignation after making false claims about having Native American heritage.
Andrea Smith, a self-proclaimed “expert” in ethnic studies, has stepped down in the wake of revelations that she had fabricated her Native American lineage. Smith had previously asserted her affiliation with the Cherokee Nation. The decision to resign was prompted by a group of 13 colleagues who brought to light her misleading claims, as reported by The Times.
Accusations regarding Smith’s misrepresentation of her ancestry initially emerged in 2008, during her tenure application process at the University of Michigan. Activists at the time argued that the denial of her tenure was discriminatory. However, further scrutiny revealed that Smith was not officially registered as a member of the Cherokee Nation, a finding brought to light by an indigenous scholar.