Cambridge academics criticize university's Arday death investigation plans

Professor Arday died at his home in London on August 14, nine days after he resigned following allegations of plagiarism and inconsistencies in his career statements. An inquest is scheduled to determine the cause of his death. Arday's family has stated that he endured a three-year campaign of sustained abuse.

The academics' letter, also sent to Cambridge's governing council, raises concerns that the university has moved away from initial promises by Vice-Chancellor Deborah Prentice for a "thorough and transparent" examination of the circumstances surrounding Arday's appointment and treatment. The signatories desire an investigation that pinpoints specific advice and decisions made during Arday's hiring and subsequent career, rather than a general "lessons learned" review.

Specifically, the letter asks the investigation to establish who authorized the university's public promotion of Arday, the assessment of associated risks, who authorized communications with investigating journalists, what the university knew about the escalating "racist and ableist abuse and media hounding," and how responsibility for Arday's protection was allocated. The academics emphasized that individual accountability should not replace necessary institutional changes stemming from decision-making, scrutiny, or governance failures.

Cambridge had previously publicized Arday's appointment at age 37 as the youngest Black professor at the university, stating his role would inspire under-represented backgrounds in higher education. The university announced it would investigate Arday's academic qualifications on August 5, hours before his resignation. Cambridge has since announced a two-part review, with the first part led by Nazir Afzal, focusing on support provided to Arday immediately before his death. The second part, intended as a broader review of institutional processes, is yet to name a chair.