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Following the death of Jason Arday, the youngest-ever black professor at Cambridge University, media outlets are attempting to explain what went wrong, from intense media scrutiny and DEI policies to failures in academic institutions and accusations of racism.

The Details: Plagiarism concerns over Arday's PhD thesis and journal articles rose last year. Arday resigned on Aug. 5 following scrutiny over his academic work and personal background. On Aug. 14, first responders found Arday, 41, unresponsive in Battersea, South London, where he had reportedly died. The official cause of death has not yet been publicly confirmed. 

Media Scrutiny: According to The Independent (Lean Left), 249 national press articles were written about Arday over 22 days. An opinion writer for the Independent argued, "Investigative journalism is at its best when it exposes abuses of power, corruption and misconduct," however, "There is a profound difference between interrogating power and allowing the machinery of investigation to bear down, relentlessly, on one academic."

Against Censorship: An opinion in UnHerd (Center) criticized some higher education professionals and organizations for using Arday's death to "amplify an existing censorship agenda." The writer argued that incidents of network harassment "are to be deplored," but advancing censorship and identity politics "will do little to aid progress in this area." An opinion from Michelle Goldberg (Left) in the New York Times (Lean Left) similarly argued that "those pressing for new controls on the press are making a serious mistake." Goldberg linked conservative media's interest in the story to backlash against DEI, but warned that progressive efforts to "stifle questions about those initiatives" could make backlash worse. She also argued that responsibility extended beyond sensational media coverage and faulted institutions like Cambridge for elevating Arday's profile while ignoring warning signs that he was "a fabulist."

'DEI Devotion': The Federalist (Right) blamed what it described as leftist academics' devotion to upholding DEI, and that those same people are now "maintaining that he was the victim of those who called out the DEI scam." It argued that Arday wouldn't be dead "if not for having been elevated to a position he had not earned and was not equipped to maintain under legitimate scrutiny or pressure." An opinion writer for The Daily Wire (Right) said Arday's story shows that "DEI hires are held to a lower standard than those hired via a competitive process." The outlet said that "By facilitating and even applauding his delusions, the credulous, obsequious DEI machine did Arday no favors." Both outlets highlighted other instances of plagiarism in higher ed from black professors.

'Racism': The Conversation (Lean Left) said Arday's death reflects the "intense skepticism Black scholars face." The outlet said "When an appointment symbolizes racial progress, serious allegations can spread suspicion beyond the individual" and pointed to what it said was "a double standard" in higher-ed treatment of minority faculty members. Townhall (Right) denounced claims of racism and poked fun at several online posts that blamed "White Lies" for Arday's death. The outlet said, "It's clear that the Left is not going to let this narrative that racism is to blame for Arday's downfall go." The Daily Wire also wrote that Arday and his defenders followed a common playbook: deny the allegations and then "accuse critics of racism."

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