Academics Call for Inquiry into Jason Arday’s Controversial Appointment at Cambridge

Call for Independent Inquiry

The University of Cambridge is facing calls from senior academics to conduct an independent inquiry into the controversial appointment of Jason Arday as a professor. The joint letter, which has been circulated among dons at the university, demands that an external body investigate the processes and circumstances surrounding his selection.

Concerns Over Appointing Process

The academics argue that the quick and high-profile appointment of Arday as a young, untested professor may have been motivated by a desire to improve the university's diversity record. They point out that despite his relative inexperience, he was appointed to a prestigious chair at a relatively early age.

Controversy Surrounding Jason Arday

Jason Arday resigned after facing intense public scrutiny over allegations of plagiarism in his PhD thesis and other publications. Additionally, he faced criticism for exaggerated claims about his fundraising efforts and academic appointments. These issues, combined with controversial statements made to the press, have led many within the academic community to question the integrity of the appointment process.

Implications for the University

Professor Priyamvada Gopal from Cambridge’s English faculty expressed concern about the university's handling of Arday's appointment. She emphasized that the institution bears significant responsibility, stating, “Whatever the results of any investigation, the university bears no little responsibility for the grotesque racism which this whole business has unleashed, and for the harm done both to the individual in the line of fire, to Black academics as a group, and the broader field of critical race studies.”

Other academics have echoed these sentiments, suggesting that the university may have cut corners on fostering equality and inclusion by seeking media-friendly appointments. Gopal further noted, “Academic misconduct also needs more robust and transparent procedures in place, as more than one case at Cambridge indicates.”

Source: The Guardian