The Chancellor of Cambridge University, Lord Chris Smith, expressed anger over the handling of the case involving the late professor Jason Arday, describing the public scrutiny as a "racist feeding frenzy." Smith suggested that the university establishment's failure to conduct "robust due diligence" contributed to the situation.
"I felt that Professor Arday was used as bragging rights by some universities, and that people spoke of his age and his ethnicity rather than his talent," Smith told the BBC's Today programme. He believes this focus may have contributed to Arday being "lifted so high so quickly" and subsequently facing a significant fall from grace when external scrutiny intensified. Smith deemed the situation "unfair on him and... a terrible, terrible situation."
While acknowledging that some of the coverage might have been racially motivated, Smith maintained that the questions regarding plagiarism were valid regardless of intent. The controversy first surfaced after academic Nathan Cofnas, who was dismissed from a Cambridge role in 2024, raised concerns about plagiarism in Arday's work. Cofnas's termination followed his views on meritocracy and race.
Cambridge had highlighted Arday's appointment as a significant achievement, noting that only 1% of professors in UK universities are black, making each such appointment particularly noteworthy. Arday, a professor of sociology, was appointed to the University of Cambridge in September 2023 and was at the center of a plagiarism row before his death last week. A vigil organized by Stand Up To Racism is scheduled for Monday evening in London's Trafalgar Square, following a vigil held Sunday at Cambridge, organized by Arday's postdoctoral students.