<p>I think the Essjay scandal is hysterical.</p>
<p>People who are really interested in the Middlebury story might want to go here: <a href="http://mt.middlebury.edu/middblogs/jmittell/JustTV/%5B/url%5D">http://mt.middlebury.edu/middblogs/jmittell/JustTV/</a>. Jason Mittell is a professor at Middlebury and this is his blog. He has four entries devoted to the Wikipedia controversy; the 2/28 one includes a video of an hourlong forum on campus about Wikipedia (I watched it and found it very interesting). Mittell, who was quoted in the NY Times story, argues that Wikipedia has a place in college research. Read his blog for his position. </p>
<p>I haven't read this entire thread, so it is possible this has already been said, but part of the impetus for the history department policy had nothing to do with students citing Wikipedia in papers, but using it as a study guide instead of doing their assigned reading. Essentially, Wikipedia as Cliff Notes.</p>