Forty-nine Oriel SCR members condemn Nathan Cofnas’ views in statement

Members of Oriel College’s Senior Common Room (SCR) have described Nathan Cofnas’ claims about race and intelligence as “racist, abhorrent and without scientific foundation”, a week before he is due to speak at the college. 

In a statement signed “in a personal capacity”, 49 fellows and members of Oriel’s SCR said they do not support Cofnas’ views. The statement said his claims are “fundamentally at odds with the values of equality, dignity and respect” that should define the “academic community”. 

Cofnas, a self-described “race realist”, is due to speak at Oriel’s Harris Lecture Theatre on 17th November. The event, titled “An Evening with Nathan Cofnas: Is DEI Undermining Higher Education?”, is organised by the Oxon Universities’ Reform Society (OURS). 

Cofnas, a postdoctoral researcher at Ghent University, was previously dismissed by Emmanuel College, Cambridge, after writing a blog post claiming that the number of Black academics would “approach zero” under a meritocracy. Cambridge’s internal investigation later found that his comments did not constitute discrimination or harassment. 

In July, Cofnas published a Substack post accusing Jason Arday of plagiarising his doctoral thesis. Arday, who denied plagiarising, resigned from Cambridge after weeks of media scrutiny and was found dead on 14th August. Liverpool John Moores University, which awarded the doctorate, concluded Arday’s doctorate should stand. 

The signed statement rejects “the suggestion that Black people owe their place in universities and public life to anything other than their abilities” and says that the event “has caused great distress among students, staff and colleagues, and in particular among members of our Black community”. The statement also adds that Cofnas’ invitation “undermines and distracts from the many positive actions the College has taken in recent years to support greater diversity, equity and inclusion, which have greatly enriched College life”.

The statement reads: “Freedom of speech is not freedom for ideas or opinions to go unchallenged by evidence, questioning and argument.” 

The signatories stressed that the statement “does not represent the position of the College” and that they “respect its [Oriel’s] position of not commenting on the views of speakers at meetings held in the college”. They added that “there are many reasons why others in the Senior Common Room may be unable to sign this statement”.

Cofnas’ invite has prompted widespread opposition across Oxford. An open letter initiated by Oxford Students’ Coalition Against Racism has been signed by nearly 30,000 people at the time of publication, and Oxfordshire Stand Up To Racism is planning a protest in Oriel Square at 5pm on 17th November, an hour before Cofnas’ scheduled event. 

The Oxford SU has also called an extraordinary meeting of the Conference of Common Rooms on 11th November to discuss the motion ‘No Hate Speech At Oxford’. Oriel MCR was one of the five common rooms that requested the meeting. If passed, the motion calls for the SU to spend £1,000 on a diversity initiative and issue a statement about the Cofnas event.

In a statement on 3rd November, the University’s Chief Diversity Officer, Tim Soutphommasane, acknowledged receiving “concerns about racism, and the safety and welfare of Black and ethnic minority students and staff” from a “significant number of students and staff”. However, he reaffirmed the University’s legal duty to “promote and secure freedom of speech” and did not call for the event’s cancellation. 

A spokesperson for Oriel told Cherwell: “Oriel College is committed to upholding freedom of speech within the law and has a statutory duty to do so. This includes the freedom to express views that many find deeply offensive.

“We are also committed to promoting inclusion and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of discrimination and harassment, including racial discrimination.” 

The spokesperson added that it is Oriel’s policy to permit events booked by students who are committee members of registered societies, but that permission “does not imply endorsement”. The college also referred to its Bullying and Harassment Policy and Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy. 

OURS has also said that Oriel is legally obliged to host Cofnas “by virtue of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023”. Guidance published alongside the act states that universities and constituent institutions – such as Oxford colleges – must maintain a “very strong presumption in favour of admitting lawful speech”.

Others have also defended Cofnas’ right to speak. For example, the Free Speech Union’s website includes a template email congratulating Oriel for “standing firm” and holding the event. 

OURS was contacted for comment.