The BAAS community has been deeply saddened by the death of Professor Jason Arday. We stand with Professor Arday’s family, friends, students, colleagues and all who mourn him during this difficult time. And we recognise that many of our members will be feeling pain, grief and anger regarding the events that led up to his untimely death.
While BAAS is committed to academic standards and academic freedom, we recognise that the intensity of media coverage and commentary surrounding Professor Arday lays bare the inequitable conditions under which public academic figures are judged: the way that the experiences of Black, disabled and other marginalised scholars become proxy battles over whether certain groups or individuals belong in the academy at all. Too often such scholars face disproportionate suspicion, punishment and public hostility in response to actions for which others are afforded privacy, the acknowledgment of context, or the benefit of the doubt.
For this reason, we also stand with those calling for universities to examine their institutional practices and processes: how they recruit, support and protect staff from a rich and diverse range of backgrounds, and, in particular, how they support those whose appointments are mined for their symbolic value and publicly celebrated as evidence of inclusive practices. Conscious inclusion does not end with representation within an unreformed institution or tradition, but must be a set of ongoing practices that enable people of all backgrounds to participate fully in university life, now and in the future.
We acknowledge that BAAS members who did not know Professor Arday personally may also be affected by this news. We encourage all our members to access the support available through their institutional affiliations. Below are links to a further range of mental health and wellbeing resources that may be of support at this time.
Mind: Mental Health at Work: https://www.mind.org.uk/workplace
Samaritans: Wellbeing and Mental Health Support
Shout 85258 24/7 Text Support: https://giveusashout.org/
Universities UK – Stepchange: Mentally Healthy Universities: https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/what-we-do/policy-and-research/publications/stepchange-mentally-healthy-universities
