So heartfelt:
Today, University Council took the necessary steps to launch an independent review into the University’s decision-making and actions, with a focus on identifying shortcomings and areas for improvement.
Do we really think Cambridge is going to admit that Arday was the victim of their own idiotic over-promotion of a man clearly unsuited to be a professor just because it ticked the right diversity boxes? It’s going to be sad sad sad that the poor man suffered such horrible press coverage, and oh yes, perhaps we should have cosseted him more – provided more cotton wool, told him how truly wonderful he was.
This tells you exactly what is wrong with Cambridge University.
Part One of its newly announced inquiry will be speedy and focused: Nazir Afzal has three months to explore one question: did the university support Arday enough? Prentice says here that they “worked very hard” to protect him from “an appalling period of external criticism,” then immediately asks whether they “could have and should have done more.” This is emphasised and is framed as the urgent task.
Part Two is slower, still being assembled and padded. Recruitment is mentioned, so is mentoring, misconduct procedures and more support for academics under media fire. The panel will include “lived experience.” The appointment itself is not the headline. It is one item in a later bundle.
This is telling. After promoting and defending their hiring of Jason Arday and treating warnings as a “vile campaign,” the first independent act is not “how did a senior chair get filled like this?” and questioning what the impact has been on existing or past students, it is “did we fail to cushion him?” The university is investigating its pastoral care before it investigates its standards and dwindling reputation as a centre of academic excellence. Cambridge is not so smart after all.
Shortcomings: Employing people who can’t string a sentence together as professors.
Areas for improvement: Shut down the Faculty of Education.
Review: First part concluded.
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