Cambridge academics reject university's attempt to close row over Jason Arday
After professor Jason Arday's resignation, Cambridge University announced a review of senior academic hiring, but nearly a hundred academics are demanding an independent investigation into the full episode.
The University of Cambridge has announced a review of how it vets and appoints senior academic staff, an attempt to quiet growing criticism over the appointment of Jason Arday as professor. A group of Cambridge academics has rejected this response, insisting that a thorough, transparent investigation into the broader circumstances is essential.
Arday resigned this week amid mounting doubts about his personal and professional claims, three and a half years after being celebrated as Cambridge's youngest black professor, with a life story that included being unable to speak until age 11 due to educational disadvantage.
University and college leaders reportedly hoped his resignation would end the controversy, but internal frustration has kept growing — both over the appointment process itself and over the risks that hostile media coverage poses to the university's black staff. In a Friday statement, Cambridge said it would continue investigating the circumstances of Arday's appointment and tenure, with findings feeding into a broader review of how senior academic roles are filled.
A letter sent to vice-chancellor Deborah Prentice highlighted "toxic and frequently racist" commentary surrounding the coverage, warning it could undermine Cambridge's progress on historical underrepresentation. Nearly 100 senior academics signed the letter, including physics professor Suchitra Sebastian, sociology professor Mónica Figueroa, and mathematician Timothy Gowers.
The signatories are calling for an independent body to examine the appointment process, including whether the university took part in efforts to discourage journalists from reporting on misconduct allegations against Arday. Cambridge has denied backing Arday's attempts to block critical coverage in Times Higher last year or funding his legal representation.
Jesus College, where Arday held a fellowship, said it would drop its own planned parallel process, since his fellowship ended automatically with his resignation. Arday stepped down following intense scrutiny that began with plagiarism accusations and expanded to questions about his claims involving endurance running, charity fundraising, and confrontations with masked attackers.
