We, the Sabbatical Officer team, are devastated following the loss of Professor Jason Arday. We would like to extend our condolences to students and staff members who are grieving his passing. We’re thinking of all those who met him, learnt from him, or who had been inspired by him.
Professor Arday’s appointment to the University of Cambridge marked a historic milestone for Black representation within academia in the UK. Throughout his time, he championed inclusion and access to education for all, a commitment that LSESU shares. For many Black, disabled and neurodivergent students and university staff, Professor Arday’s story showed that academia should be a place for all.
In his resignation letter, Professor Arday discussed the impact of the relentless accusations, speculation and commentary, since the time of his appointment, on himself, his family and his work. The extreme level of public scrutiny that he was subjected to by the media cannot be overlooked. His harassment speaks to patterns of institutional racism, and his treatment was weaponised to undermine the importance of equity and diversity initiatives in higher education and across society.
At LSESU, we are actively working with our colleagues at EmbRace, the Ethnic Minority staff network, to engage university leadership and discuss what steps the university is taking to protect and support Black students and staff, following Professor Arday’s death, particularly in a time of rising anti-EDI sentiment globally.
If you have been affected by Professor Arday’s passing, please reach out for support available at:
If you have any recommendations on how best we can support you and your communities at this time, please feel free to reach out to us at su.welfareliberation@lse.ac.uk
We would like to close this message with a quote from an interview with Professor Arday:
“I would take a thread and a needle, and I’d interweave love into our society”.
In solidarity,
Your LSESU Sabbatical Officers – Amara, Ardour, Noor, Iris