The University of Cambridge said on Thursday that it has trimmed its probe into the hiring of the late Professor Jason Arday, who died last month. The move follows a July announcement that the school would investigate allegations of plagiarism and false biographical claims. Instead, the review now centres on whether the university provided adequate welfare and support to Arday during his tenure.
Nazir Afzal, the former prosecutor leading the inquiry and chancellor of Manchester, told reporters that the investigation would ‘deep on a narrow question rather than broad on all of them’. He added, ‘It’s not about the allegations made against Professor Arday or about his academic record, it’s about his welfare, his care, his well‑being.’
The change has split faculty. A draft letter circulated by several professors calls for an exhaustive review of Arday’s appointment and the university’s role in shaping his media narrative, citing the 2022 appointment as the youngest Black professor. Critics say the administration’s focus on his race, youth, and ‘transformative potential’ was an aberration that fueled a harmful online campaign.
A separate expert panel will examine Cambridge’s hiring and misconduct protocols, with an expected report due by the end of June. Vice‑Chancellor Deborah Prentice has pledged a thorough and transparent review of the university’s support mechanisms, a promise that will be tested as the panel’s findings are released next month.