Researcher Nathan Cofnas previously claimed Black people would hold few high-profile positions in a meritocracy<\/p>\n
Nathan Cofnas, the academic who made plagiarism allegations against Prof Jason Arday before his death, has been suspended by a university.<\/p>\n
Arday, 41, resigned from his role at the University of Cambridge this month after Cofnas accused him of plagiarism. The allegations, which were not proven in any formal investigation, triggered questions about Arday\u2019s achievements.<\/p>\n
There has been stiff criticism of Cambridge over its handling of the affair, but also of the coverage by some media. The university\u2019s chancellor, Chris Smith, described it as a \u201cracist feeding frenzy\u201d. Arday, who became Cambridge\u2019s youngest black professor in 2023, was found dead in Battersea, south London, on Friday.<\/p>\n
The \u201cAmerican anti-woke\u201d blogger Cofnas is a postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University\u2019s department of philosophy and moral sciences, according to his website.<\/p>\n
In a post on X on Thursday, Cofnas said: \u201cI am under investigation by my university for discriminating against Arday.\u201d He added in a separate post: \u201cI was just suspended by Ghent University. They will almost certainly fire me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ghent University confirmed his suspension after saying they had been \u201cshocked\u201d by Arday\u2019s death and that it \u201cshould prompt reflection\u201d, adding that the institution \u201copposes discrimination, hatred and racism\u201d.<\/p>\n
In a joint statement on Wednesday, Ghent University\u2019s rector, Petra De Sutter, and vice-rector, Herwig Reynaert, said: \u201cWe attach great importance to academic freedom and to open academic debate, even when views are controversial. However, that freedom is not unlimited.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt goes hand in hand with responsibility and may be restricted in order to protect the rights of others. For this reason, the university takes the recent public statements made by a postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University regarding this matter very seriously.<\/p>\n
\u201cGhent University has decided to take appropriate action within its powers and the applicable framework.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The rector and vice-rector said that while it was \u201cimportant to be transparent\u201d, they did not want to \u201cpre-empt any potential decisions at this stage\u201d.<\/p>\n
In an update on Thursday, a spokesperson said: \u201cGhent University formally notified the staff member concerned of the launch of a preliminary disciplinary investigation.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs part of this process, the university is assessing whether there are sufficient grounds to refer the case to the competent disciplinary body for further consideration. Pending this preliminary investigation, Ghent University has suspended the staff member as a precautionary measure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, organisers said more than 30,000 people had attended a vigil for Arday in Trafalgar Square, central London.<\/p>\n