More than £150,000 has been donated to support the family of late University of Cambridge professor Jason Arday following his death amid intense public scrutiny over allegations of plagiarism.
The fundraising appeal was launched on Saturday by Windrush campaigner Sir Patrick Vernon, a prominent supporter of Arday. The campaign has since drawn significant public support, with donations coming from people who want to assist the academic’s bereaved family.
Arday died on Friday, shortly after stepping down from his role as Professor of Sociology of Education at Cambridge. His resignation followed allegations of plagiarism that had attracted widespread attention.
Vernon said the response to the fundraiser showed that many people were deeply concerned about Arday’s family and uncomfortable with the level of scrutiny surrounding the controversy.
He stressed that the fundraising effort was not about the academic’s financial circumstances but about helping his family cope with their loss.
Arday’s appointment and subsequent tenure at Cambridge had already attracted attention before the latest controversy. Following the plagiarism allegations, the university announced that it would examine the circumstances surrounding his appointment as part of a wider review of its processes for selecting senior academics.
However, Cambridge has indicated that it would not be appropriate to continue with the investigation while Arday’s family is grieving.
The controversy has also triggered a wider discussion about race and representation within British academia.
Cambridge Chancellor Chris Smith addressed the issue on Monday, arguing that allegations of academic misconduct should be examined properly regardless of who is involved. At the same time, he criticised what he regarded as racially motivated attacks against Arday.
Smith said academic institutions must be able to uphold standards of integrity without allowing investigations to become part of a broader campaign targeting individuals because of their race.
Vernon has been among those calling attention to the wider implications of the controversy. Other public figures, including Green Party leader Zack Polanski and crossbench peer Simon Woolley, had also signed an open letter expressing support for Arday as the scrutiny intensified.
For Vernon, the circumstances have raised questions extending beyond Cambridge, including the role of the media, university accountability, press regulation and race relations in Britain.
The response has also moved beyond online discussion. Anti-racism campaign group Stand Up to Racism was due to hold a vigil for Arday at Trafalgar Square in London on Monday evening.
Questions have additionally emerged about Arday’s welfare and whether he had adequate support while facing sustained public attention.
The UK government has so far avoided committing to an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his death, with Downing Street saying it was not in a position to comment on the issue at this stage.
As donations continue to come in, supporters of the fundraiser are urging greater attention to Arday’s grieving family and to the broader questions about race, institutional accountability and media treatment that have emerged following his death.
