By Associated Press
Jacksonville, AL – Jacksonville State University officials are looking into apparent plagiarism in newspaper columns appearing under the university president's byline.
William Meehan's column, ''Town and Gown,'' is often ghostwritten by the university's retired news director, Al Harris.
The Birmingham News reported Thursday that parts of a July 4th column are identical to a Microsoft column written about four years ago by Kim Komando, a computer talk-show host and columnist.
The Anniston Star reported earlier that an August 1st column on stress management lifted paragraphs from an article on the Merck and Company Web site.
Meehan said earlier this week that he ''understands the seriousness of the charge and accepts full responsibility.'' He said he proofreads the columns before publication
The school's vice president for institutional advancement, Joseph Serviss, said the university is reviewing all the columns Harris has written for Meehan since he retired in February.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)