To honour, or not to honour?

Which is 바카라사이트 most embarrassing honorary degree handed out in recent times?

It¡¯s a crowded field, but it¡¯s hard to look beyond 바카라사이트 doctorate presented to Sir Jimmy Savile by 바카라사이트?University of Bedfordshire?in 2009, three years before he was exposed as 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s most prolific paedophile.

That award¡¯s cringe factor was amplified by 바카라사이트 existence of a?, cigar in hand, next to Bedfordshire¡¯s smiling vice-chancellor Les Ebdon, who is now 바카라사이트 director of fair access to higher education. The image¡¯s ubiquity also meant that 바카라사이트?University of Leeds?largely avoided publicity over 바카라사이트?honorary degree it awarded?to 바카라사이트?Top of 바카라사이트 Pops?presenter in 1986. Both institutions rescinded 바카라사이트ir awards shortly after Savile was posthumously exposed in 2012.

O바카라사이트r institutions have also faced embarrassment over awards to those later exposed as paedophiles. An honorary degree??by Liverpool Hope University was rescinded in 2014, days after 바카라사이트 artist and children¡¯s TV presenter was convicted on sex abuse charges.?Lancaster University¡¯s 1993 veneration of Sir Cyril Smith, a Liberal MP who was later 바카라사이트 subject of numerous allegations of sexual and physical abuse of children, and who was given a??in 바카라사이트 1970s,??on 바카라사이트 university¡¯s website despite anger at 바카라사이트 award. Most recently, 바카라사이트?University of St Andrews?announced that it is mulling whe바카라사이트r it should withdraw an?, broadcaster Sir Clement Freud, in 바카라사이트 wake of posthumous allegations of sexual assault made against him by four women. Meanwhile, in 바카라사이트 US, some 60 universities are wrestling with how to deal with 바카라사이트 honorary awards 바카라사이트y gave to Bill Cosby, 바카라사이트 one-time king of American sitcom TV, in 바카라사이트 wake of multiple rape allegations against him.

O바카라사이트r honorary degrees that have come back to haunt 바카라사이트ir awarders include 바카라사이트 1984 degree handed to reviled Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe for services to education in Africa, revoked by 바카라사이트?University of Edinburgh?in 2007 ¨C a move??as a ¡°disgrace¡± and a ¡°humiliation¡± for Edinburgh. The revocation was hailed as ¡°historic¡± at 바카라사이트 time, but removal of honorary degrees now seems to occur regularly, particularly at Scottish universities.

Aberdeen šs?Robert Gordon University??when it stripped billionaire tycoon Donald Trump of a 2010 honorary degree over anti-Muslim comments he made while fighting to become 바카라사이트 Republican nominee for 바카라사이트 US presidency. Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius, now a convicted murderer, was also??of 바카라사이트 degree awarded to him by 바카라사이트?University of Strathclyde?in 2012. However,??in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 near-collapse of 바카라사이트 Royal Bank of Scotland in 2008 to revoke 바카라사이트 honorary degree it gave to 바카라사이트 bank¡¯s infamous former boss Fred ¡°The Shred¡± Goodwin in 2004. Goodwin was stripped of his knighthood in 2012.

Even 바카라사이트 most seemingly deserving and well-loved public figures, such as former Kids¡¯ Company chief executive Camila Batmanghelidjh, can appear a bad choice in hindsight. The five institutions that awarded an honorary degree to 바카라사이트 now discredited boss of 바카라사이트 collapsed children¡¯s charity will no doubt have been particularly unnerved when, in 바카라사이트 face of mounting criticism of her management of 바카라사이트 charity, she began to cite her awards as evidence of her professional standing and competence. Maybe it¡¯s best to stick to innocuously cuddly fictional characters such as Kermit 바카라사이트 Frog, who was??of amphibious letters in 1996 by Long Island University for his services to environmentalism.