Cambridge to review hiring after professor resigns amid plagiarism claims

Cambridge University announced it will review its hiring and appointment processes for senior academic positions, seeking to quell controversy surrounding a professor who resigned amid plagiarism allegations. Jason Arday, who made history as Cambridge's youngest Black professor at 37, stepped down after media reports surfaced alleging he plagiarized his doctoral thesis.

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The University will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Jason Arday's appointment and tenure. The findings will be incorporated into a review of the appointment process for high-level academic positions.

The prestigious institution stated it would continue investigating the circumstances surrounding Arday's appointment and tenure. The findings will inform a review of the appointment process for high-level academic positions. Over 100 Cambridge academics signed a joint letter demanding a "thorough investigation" into Arday's case.

Earlier media analysis identified over 100 passages in Arday's thesis that were identical or nearly identical to those in a 2009 thesis by another student. A professor emeritus had previously alerted both Cambridge and another university about alleged "serious plagiarism" in Arday's thesis and articles, accusing them of inaction.

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This decision should not be interpreted as a loss of faith in scholarship or the values that brought me to Cambridge in the first place. Nor with an acceptance of the narratives that have surrounded me. It is simply the decision of someone who has reached the limit of what any person can reasonably be expected to endure.

In his resignation letter, Arday did not directly address the plagiarism claims but cited the "enormous" personal and familial cost of his appointment, which he said was marked by "relentless public scrutiny and personal attacks." He stated his decision was not a loss of faith in scholarship or Cambridge's values, but that he had reached his limit of what any person could reasonably be expected to endure. Arday called his professorship at Cambridge the "greatest professional privilege of his life."

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It had been the greatest professional privilege of my life and something difficult to imagine when I was a child.