I met Jason Arday once, briefly, when I was a student at Durham and he was an associate professor. I remember how friendly I found him. My sympathies are with all of those who knew him and loved him.
In all the media frenzy surrounding Professor Arday – which has exposed the difficulty in balancing reporting responsibilities, and the double standards in the treatment of people of colour and their white counterparts within academia – little has been heard about his abilities as a tutor, which was called into question in some reports. One account in the Times really struck me; it was from a single, anonymous former student of his and portrayed him as perpetually late and unable to accept challenges from students.
This does not align with the memories of many undergraduates Arday taught at Durham, who reached out to me as a journalist and fellow former student. Their experience of studying under him was vastly different, and they felt strongly that they wanted to put their recollections of him on the record. This is what they said:
(The former Durham students quoted below asked that we withhold their surnames to avoid attention on social media; their first names and course details are accurate. More student tributes to Professor Arday are being collected here)
Throughout my time at the university, Jason was a friendly, approachable, and supportive figure. It was apparent from my first seminar with him that I would enjoy the module, as he was extremely knowledgeable and passionate. He made me feel comfortable and welcome, resulting in me being able to talk openly within the group, ask and answer questions without feeling shame. I felt I wasn’t able to do so in other classes.
Lauren, BA Criminology 2019-22
His classes dealt with heavy material but his levity and compassion made it manageable. By the end of our first term together, half the class had nicknames and the group felt like a group of friends, despite Covid online learning making socialising difficult. He was never late to class, nor with marking. Quite the opposite: his assessment feedback was detailed and he proactively emailed me and others about things we might be interested in to do with the course and wider things happening on campus.
Dan, BA Sociology, 2020-23
He had a special way of bringing light to even the darkest of times, making difficult moments feel a little easier and reminding us that there was always something to learn and take forward. This was particularly important during Covid times, where a lot of us felt lost and were going through a lot at home. His feedback was always thoughtful and encouraging, and he always got back to you as soon as possible, often at the expense of his own busy schedule, if you needed help with anything.
Megan, BA Criminology, 2019-22
Jason was genuinely one of the kindest professors at the university. You could tell that he really cared about his students, and always made time for everyone and always showed genuine enthusiasm. I actually chose to take a second module the following year simply because I knew he would be my lecturer again. I am very grateful to have had him as a lecturer.
Scarlett, BA Criminology, 2019-22
Jason created such a welcoming presence in the classroom. He would always meet you where you were at and answer questions (even "stupid" ones) with patience and kindness. I struggled a lot with university in my final years, but he was always accommodating with my disabilities and offered support whenever and wherever he could. I remember being in lectures and seminars for other modules and hearing people talk about how much they were looking forward to Jason's classes later in the day.
James, BA Criminology, 2019-23
He brought an air of positivity to Durham University with a friendly and fair personality. Jason had a wealth of knowledge both educationally and of life experience. He was kind, compassionate and open. Jason had a passion to share his knowledge and the motivation to support and engage with us. He always challenged my thinking and opened up new ideas and discussions around each and every topic within his lectures. He ensured to encourage each of his students in his seminars by allowing students to think outside of the box, to push and challenge ourselves.
Ellen, BA Criminology, 2019-22
Jason was honestly one of the best lecturers I had at Durham, not only through his knowledge but also his ability to make everyone feel heard or like an equal, no matter who you were. His lectures and seminars were always engaging, and he was such an advocate for people who didn’t feel like they belonged in higher education. I always just felt such a sense of belonging in his class.
Lucy, BA Criminology, 2019-22
Michaela Makusha is a freelance journalist and contributor to the Nerve. She has written for titles including the Guardian, the New World and Teen Vogue