PrintApril 10, 2009
Arizona State University refuses to give Obama honorary degree
What's this? Someone in academia standing up to the emperor and telling him he has no clothes?
President Barack Obama may be delivering a commencement address at Arizona State University this Spring - one of three campuses where the president will send off the graduating classes of 2009 - but he won't be coming home with any degree.While "it's common for universities to confer honorary degrees on commencement speakers,'' Dawn Teo writes from Tempe for the Huffington Post, "Arizona State says it has specific rules for recognizing academic achievement and Obama's 'body of work is yet to come.''She cites ASU Media Relations Director Sharon Keeler as saying that Arizona's honorary degrees are given "for an achievement of eminence" and that the president was not considered for an honorary degree because his body of achievements, at this time, does not meet the criteria.Author of two best-selling books, Teo notes of Obama's accomplishments, "developing one of the largest grassroots organizations in the world? Nothing special. Becoming the first African American President of the United States? Good, but nothing to write home about.''A local paper notes that:"Arizona State has handed out honorary doctorate degrees to pioneering scientists and college presidents, titans of oil and computer microchips, newspaper publishers and generous donors, a foreign communist educator and a successful movie director, the Post's correspondent notes. Not to mention Barry Goldwater.
They will change their minds by the end of the day.
Is there a difference between "achievement" and "accomplishment?" Getting elected president of the United States is a pretty significant achievement when you consider only 39 men previously were able to make the cut. (Cleveland served twice and Arthur, Ford, and Fillmore were never elected.) Bestselling author? The second book's popularity could be ascribed to his election as senator and leading Democratic party light - hardly a significant achievement. And he didn't build his grass roots organization, he had others who knew a helluva lot more about the internet than he do that.
Of course, previous to his election, he did nothing of note in his career either as senator or anywhere else.
Taken as a whole, it would be a close call and ASU decided - for the moment - not to. Besides does't it show a little disrespect for the office of president? Obama the man doesn't deserve it but how about the president of the United States?
Doesn't matter. They will cave on this issue or he won't come. And plenty of alumni might not like that.
