Do you think it's dangerous for universities to deny honorary degrees for political reasons?

Question

The University of Florida Faculty Senate just voted not to award Governor John Ellis ("Jeb") Bush an honorary degree.

The first part of my question: Is this decision politically motivated, in your opinion?

Second part of my question: Should politics play a role in whether an honorary degree is awarded?

Third part of my question: What should -- or what else should -- play a role in determining whether an honorary degree is awarded.

If you bothered to read all of this and actually provide a thoughtful answer, thank you...you might just get best answer.

Answer 1

I do not think it's dangerous for universities to deny honorary degrees for political reasons, any more than it would be dangerous for universities to award honorary degrees for political reasons.

For those who have any familiarity with University of Florida, and most large universities, especially state universities, everything is political.

1st part of your question: Absolutely the decision is politically motivated.

2nd part of your question: Politics ALWAYS plays a role in whether an honorary degree is awarded.

3rd part of your question: Contribution to the betterment of society should be key to whether an honorary degree is awarded.

As a person very familiar with the UF Faculty Senate, they are the very definition and detailed picture of scrutiny of excellence. Many many Florida politicos (governors, senators, congresspersons, mayors, etc.) were graduated from the University of Florida, so there haven't been many occasions where there even needed to be any thought of an honorary degree, but whether there were an outstanding alumni degree.

Jeb Bush doesn't even enter my mind as to be considered for anything honorary from the University of Florida

As for Jeb's "contributions" to the University of Florida, he was a major force behind doing away with the Board of Regents and helped grant FSU a medical school before UCF. Tallahassee is not the urban center in need of such a facility, quite like Orlando. Thankfully UCF is getting theirs.
The state, though, is still having to finance FSU's facility.

Jeb also was behind a "One Florida" iniative, that caused enrollment of minority students at UF to decline, that has been rectified by other means, and NOT by Jeb Bush.

Another contention: FCAT.

So in a nutshell it is political. The faculty, I believe, did the right thing. Jeb Bush is nowhere in the realm of other UF Honorary Degree recipients (see the list in the link below).

Thank God.

Answer 2

Don't you think there is as much political maneuvering in initially selecting a candidate as there might be in rejecting one? Why would a school award a degree to someone otherwise? It isn't just to be nice.

I'm not going to step into the decision on this particular person, but the issue goes beyond this one case.

Honorary degrees are awarded because the school (and usually the awardee too) hopes to gain something from it. That might be true political connections, financial donations or endowment down the road, good publicity from the connection to someone or some cause, etc.

Since the actual selecting of a candidate for an honorary degree has political overtones, then it isn't surprising that a candidate might be acceptable to some but not to others. Sometimes that can lead to power struggles which end up embarrassing the school and/or the administrators in the short run. In the long run sometimes it can lead to stronger dialogue and programming on campus to create greater unity and understanding. If it does create a major blowup, then perhaps it is good to get festering issues out into the open instead of pretending everyone likes each other and everyone thinks alike. Maybe it makes people more careful instead of thinking they can just railroad others with something that only a minority might want.

I personally think honorary degrees are too freely given and decisions are too quickly made. Seems like an honorary degree should be something that develops from a relationship that is cultivated over a long period of time. Instead it seems like it is often just a way to get a famous name to come to campus for a p.r. blitz on either side of the issue.

Answer 3

Question #1 - probably
Question #2 - why not?
Question #3 - anything the university desires

Since the awarding of honorary degrees is just that -- honorary, an institution of higher learning can vote to award a degree to anyone whom they feel is worthy of the honor. Typically, this is done when the honoree speaks to the college, perhaps at graduation or another convocation. However, I've also heard of them being awarded because the honoree gave a large chunk of money to the university.

Honorary degrees are not the same as earned degrees. They are not accepted as qualifications for vocations. So you needn't worry that your doctor received an honorary degree from medical school!

If a university wanted to, they could award an honorary degree to Barney! It's primarily a way of getting attention for the honoree and the university. So, politics, fund-raising, friendship. celebrity or fame may all be considered when these degrees are awarded.

What would I, personally, like to see? Honorary degrees awarded to those who make a major contribution through their actions to make the world a better place. This could be through science, medicine, technology, or other professional or personal actions. The idea of awarding the degree would be to inspire others to achieve this high level of achievement and contribution to the world.

Answer 4

Think about what you're saying for a minute.

The award of an honorary degree is a political decision in and of itself. So how can a decision not to award an honorary degree be depoliticized? It can't. The only resolution is to not award any honorary degrees at all.