Prominent Scholar Resigns After Longstanding Claims of Native American Identity Challenged

Andrea Smith, a prominent scholar, resigned from UC Riverside after accusations she falsely claimed Native American identity.
Smith's scholarship relied partly on asserting Cherokee ancestry but she never provided detailed explanations.
After complaints from faculty, Smith agreed to retire to avoid investigation and legal issues.
Smith will keep position until 2024 and get benefits and emeritus title.
Native scholars see agreement as accountability but lament lack of admission; university allowed her to avoid reckoning.