Nationwide — Nathan Cofnas, the U.S. academic who accused late Cambridge professor Jason Arday of plagiarism, has been reinstated for limited academic work at Ghent University in Belgium. The university lifted his suspension despite an ongoing disciplinary investigation. He can work remotely but is not allowed to teach.
He was suspended as a precaution after he made the plagiarism allegations against Arday. At the time, the university said it wanted to review the matter before deciding what action to take. Cofnas later said he believed the investigation concerned possible discrimination against him.
Arday, who was 41 when he died in London, had denied intentionally plagiarizing work. He had acknowledged mistakes in his academic work but rejected the plagiarism allegations. His death came days after he resigned from his position at Cambridge, where he had been known as the university’s youngest Black professor.
The allegations attracted widespread media attention and prompted scrutiny of other claims Arday had made about his career, personal life and medical conditions. Before his death, he repeatedly said the public criticism had taken a toll on him and his family. His death also fueled a broader debate about racism in British academia and the media.
While the investigation continues, Ghent said Cofnas can resume certain academic activities under strict conditions, according to Reuters. He must work from home and cannot teach. The university also confirmed that it had been in contact with U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Bill White about the case. Cofnas later posted on X that his suspension had ended and thanked White for taking an interest in his situation.
Cofnas joined Ghent after Cambridge’s Emmanuel College ended its association with him following concerns from students about his blog posts. In one post, he argued that in a meritocracy, “blacks would disappear from almost all high-profile positions outside of sports and entertainment.” He has denied being racist and is involved in a legal dispute with Emmanuel College. His disciplinary case at Ghent remains ongoing despite his reinstatement to limited academic duties.