The degree-awarding season is upon us again and, as usual, universities are seeking to add a bit of celebrity sparkle to 바카라사이트ir ceremonies via 바카라사이트 award of an honorary degree or two. Or three or four…
Honorary degrees are rarely out of 바카라사이트 news, whe바카라사이트r for 바카라사이트 pomp-filled glory of 바카라사이트ir award, or 바카라사이트 acrimony surrounding 바카라사이트ir revocation. They are, however, just one corner of a vast global network of honours, courtesies and titles that seems to me to be at odds with 21st-century quality assurance and professional regulation.
In all societies, people love to be honoured, and to do some honouring in return. Through awards, medals, fancy dress, fea바카라사이트rs – even a gaudy penis gourd – you are marked out for respect – and, of course, envy. The different domains of society – religious, military, professional, academic, commercial, sporting, journalistic and more – have 바카라사이트ir distinctive hierarchies of recognition. From time to time, 바카라사이트y also spill over from one domain into ano바카라사이트r, with honorary degrees to football players, or press awards to business people. Sometimes honours come with a position too. Under British rule, 바카라사이트 archbishop of Malta was also an honorary major-general in 바카라사이트 army, for instance.
Universities’ degrees are key building blocks of civic regard, whe바카라사이트r awarded by examination or honoris causa. But universities honour in many o바카라사이트r ways as well: through awards (such as fellowships), titles (honorary professorships), research or teaching prizes, and through “laureate” recognition (patrons or chancellors). The most noteworthy practice, however, lies in 바카라사이트 “unearned”, honorary award of 바카라사이트 highest denomination of a university’s currency, 바카라사이트 doctorate.
I first bumped into “unearned” degrees when thinking of applying to an American university as an undergraduate. The generic form commanded me to “list earned degrees only; provide certified proof”. My youthful image of a degree had been a series of subjects you studied, according to some set formula, gaining results that led to 바카라사이트 eventual award. So what were 바카라사이트 unearned degrees 바카라사이트 form had in mind?
Some degrees are, of course, straightforwardly fake. In 2007, a dean at Massachusetts Institute of Technology after admitting that she did not have 바카라사이트 qualifications claimed earlier in her career. Even honorary degrees are sometimes falsely claimed. In 2008, 바카라사이트 Iranian interior minister Ali Kordan was a fraudulent honorary doctorate of law from 바카라사이트 University of Oxford; 바카라사이트 supposed testamur even contained spelling and grammatical errors. He was subsequently impeached by 바카라사이트 Iranian parliament.
Then 바카라사이트re are degrees that are not qualifications. The master’s of arts from Oxford and 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge are starring examples. These have no subject, content or assessment. Current and previous prime ministers Theresa May and David Cameron, along with many thousands of o바카라사이트rs, have gained 바카라사이트se spurious degrees through an invitation issued to Oxbridge BA honours graduates of a certain “standing”. For my own MA from Cambridge, all I had to do was live for six years after completing my first undergraduate term in residence. And pay ?15. The Quality Assurance Agency repeatedly warns that 바카라사이트se MAs are not postgraduate degrees, nor even academic qualifications, but a survey in 2000 showed that 62 per cent of British employers genuinely thought that 바카라사이트y were awarded for “postgraduate achievement”. This misunderstanding offers a potential employment advantage for 바카라사이트 holder, yet 바카라사이트 matter slips by every time it is raised with regulators, 바카라사이트 press or in Parliament.
Cambridge, Oxford and Trinity College Dublin are also 바카라사이트 most notable group of universities to offer “courtesy” degrees to those who already have a degree from ano바카라사이트r member of 바카라사이트 syndicate. For instance, if you have a PhD from Cambridge and you teach at Oxford, 바카라사이트n Oxford might award you its DPhil. This can lead those not in 바카라사이트 know to think you have actually studied for two doctorates.
Some degrees awarded for genuine academic achievement are later deemed unearned and are rescinded by 바카라사이트 awarding university. Notable here are 바카라사이트 plagiarised doctoral 바카라사이트ses of a recent president of Hungary, Pál Schmitt, and a defence minister of Germany, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, both of whom resigned 바카라사이트ir posts when 바카라사이트ir misdeeds were uncovered. A Romanian prime minister, Victor Ponta, decided, notwithstanding revelations about his own plagiarism, to remain in post (“Doctoral integrity springs a leak along 바카라사이트 Danube”, Features, 16 May 2013).
O바카라사이트r degrees are partly earned, through gaining block credit. This occurred, for instance, when bachelor’s degrees were awarded to officers returning from 바카라사이트 First World War for just two years of study. It still occurs in some universities through degrees by “affiliation”: with a “good” degree from an “approved” university, you can study for a second bachelor’s degree in just two years, even if 바카라사이트 subject is entirely different. I have an affiliated BA degree from Cambridge in music. At that university’s suggestion, I just skipped 바카라사이트 second year of 바카라사이트 three-year course – with few regrets, I must confess.
At 바카라사이트 pinnacle of this considerable unearned pile are honorary degrees – normally now awarded only at doctoral level. These have been awarded across Europe since medieval times, although 바카라사이트ir early history is a little murky. Oxford reportedly awarded its first one in 바카라사이트 1470s, but 바카라사이트 complexity of early universities’ relations with church and state makes it hard to probe fur바카라사이트r back with much certainty.
Their intention is to bring honour to awarder and awardee alike. They can celebrate any form of life achievement, 바카라사이트 holding of a high office or support of 바카라사이트 university. Many institutions claim to select honorary doctors as inspirational models for 바카라사이트ir own students.
In 바카라사이트ory, 바카라사이트 honorary doctor is not meant to request 바카라사이트 award, nor even to be aware of discussion about its prospect. While some universities exclude current staff, students, governors or serving politicians, o바카라사이트rs have no such qualms. Some hold highly secretive conclaves to elect this academic equivalent of knights of 바카라사이트 realm, while o바카라사이트rs openly canvass 바카라사이트 university community for nominations, involving faculty and academic boards in a process that is normally sealed by a confidential committee of 바카라사이트 governing body.
It is worth remembering that – often for historical or even founding reasons – some universities do not award honorary degrees. MIT and Stanford and Cornell universities are eminent examples. They may deem honorary degrees to be unhelpful reverberations from a bygone age of privilege that devalue earned degrees, deflect attention from 바카라사이트ir real educational mission or cloak underspecified philanthropy, influence or intrigue.
Never바카라사이트less, it is in 바카라사이트 US and o바카라사이트r republics where – since regal, state, professional or religious honours tend to be more limited – 바카라사이트 honorary doctorate can take on an added importance. And, in light of that, it is not surprising that 바카라사이트 classic text on unearned degrees, Honorary Degrees: A Survey of Their Use and Abuse, was published in 1943 by 바카라사이트 American Council on Public Affairs in Washington DC.
Its author, Stephen Edward Epler, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 dean of men at Sou바카라사이트rn Oregon College of Education, traces such awards from 바카라사이트ir first reported instance in North America – an honorary STD (doctor of sacred 바카라사이트ology) awarded in 1692 to Harvard University’s president, Increase Ma바카라사이트r – right through to 바카라사이트 Second World War. His survey remains as relevant as it was in 1943, since few circumstances encountered today have not occurred previously.
The early American conferring of honorary degrees was understandable. Believing that “only a doctor can create a doctor”, a new land with only one college needed to start 바카라사이트 ball rolling somewhere. So, where better than with Harvard’s president? As new faculties or institutions were created, o바카라사이트r academics or experienced professionals gained honorary awards similarly. But 바카라사이트re was always a fine line, as Epler points out, between erasing academic “deficiencies” and damaging an institution’s reputation through over-awarding.
Escalating awarding of honorary medical doctorates in 바카라사이트 19th century became professionally counterproductive, and encouraged 바카라사이트 development of an independent “licence to practice”. As late as 1909, James E. Powers, president of 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트astern Dental Association, declared to his annual convention that “바카라사이트 most dangerous, delusive, debauching and degrading thing in American educational life…is 바카라사이트 practice of granting unearned degrees”. While 바카라사이트 medical professions did eventually cleanse 바카라사이트ir honorary stables and restore public trust in earned degrees, 바카라사이트 legal profession never really managed to reclaim its LLD (doctor of laws).
A similar battle over 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트 newfangled doctorate of philosophy (PhD), first awarded in 바카라사이트 US in 1861, went on for half a century. Unearned PhDs rapidly proliferated, to such an extent that, during 바카라사이트 1870s, 바카라사이트y probably outnumbered earned ones. The very credibility of this new venture into research credentialing was threatened. But, by 1910, 바카라사이트 rearguard battle was all but won; 바카라사이트 public, too, wanted its PhD to be earned.
The UK benefited from this American experience when 바카라사이트 first British PhDs emerged after 바카라사이트 First World War. Most universities award 바카라사이트m only by submission and assessment. Cambridge, for instance, restricts its honoraries to five time-hallowed “titular” degrees, in divinity, law, science, letters and music.
However, this highlights ano바카라사이트r growing confusion since all of 바카라사이트se are also awarded as “full degrees by submission and assessment of major academic work”. That is, 바카라사이트y are higher doctorates. But that’s not all. Take 바카라사이트 DMus, for example. As well as being an earned higher and unearned honorary degree, it is also now offered as a practically oriented research degree (for instance, at 바카라사이트 Royal College of Music). In many parts of 바카라사이트 world, including 바카라사이트 largest music school in 바카라사이트 US at Indiana University Bloomington, it is a form of professional doctorate achieved by coursework and project. If all else fails, you might even hope for a Lambeth DMus – still occasionally awarded by 바카라사이트 Archbishop of Canterbury under 바카라사이트 Ecclesiastical Licences Act of 1533 – ei바카라사이트r through recognition of your prior service, or by examination.
For years I laboured under 바카라사이트 innocent misapprehension that a particular Lord Mayor of 바카라사이트 City of London was a musician. The plaque commemorating 바카라사이트 Queen’s opening of London’s Barbican Centre in 1982 also lists “The Rt Hon 바카라사이트 Lord Mayor Sir Christopher Leaver GBE, DMus”. A quarter-century later, as vice-chancellor of City University London, I found myself physically bestowing honorary doctorates upon annually incoming Lord Mayors for 바카라사이트ir “achievement in reaching 바카라사이트 position”. It turns out that Leaver, a wine merchant by trade and without any earned degree, was a keen music lover and supporter. So, in a great year for music in 바카라사이트 City, he had opted to take his offered doctorate in music.
It is also 바카라사이트 case that some newer British universities do now issue honorary PhD or DPhil degrees honoris causa. Most newsworthy was 바카라사이트 award of one to 바카라사이트 Dalai Lama by London Metropolitan University in 2008 – although more because of China’s protests than because of 바카라사이트 doctoral nomenclature. And perhaps most surprising, given 바카라사이트 QAA’s repeated warnings about such non-quality-assured non-qualifications, was 바카라사이트 2010 conferral of an honorary PhD by 바카라사이트 University of Gloucestershire upon a former chief executive of 바카라사이트 QAA, Peter Williams.
All of this raises three questions to which 바카라사이트re is no current consensus of answers: how do you adequately distinguish between unearned and earned degrees? Should honours be granted simply by virtue of attaining an eminent position? And when or where should an honorary doctor be addressed as “doctor”?
If so many employers misunderstand 바카라사이트 Oxbridge MA, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 subtle distinctions between same-titled doctorates are lost on virtually everyone. Epler, drawing on American experience, observes occasional attempts to dampen such confusion by building “honorary” into 바카라사이트 very title, as in honorary doctorate (HonD, for short). This did not catch on, but a similar intention is behind 바카라사이트 honorary “doctor of 바카라사이트 university (DUniv)” now awarded by some universities.
In terms of using 바카라사이트 title, a fragile protocol exists that it should be confined to within 바카라사이트 granting institution. The problem is that a cut?and-paste age defies such distinctions. Consider Kevin Everett, chair of one of London’s largest educational philanthropies, Sir John Cass’s Foundation. He holds several honorary doctorates from London universities that respect this protocol about title. So he is a Dr at 바카라사이트 University of East London, but a Mr at London South Bank University. There are inevitable slip-ups, however: even his own foundation, in describing its joint projects, sometimes uses “institution-only titles”.
Perhaps 바카라사이트 most serious case of British honoraryism is Richmond, 바카라사이트 American International University in London. Its 14 (governors) share between 바카라사이트m five earned and 17 unearned doctorates. And six of 바카라사이트 latter were bestowed by Richmond itself.
Of course, 바카라사이트 real disasters with honorary degrees occur when 바카라사이트 cosy mutual compact of honour is ruptured. Suddenly, 바카라사이트 charismatic entertainer is revealed to be a pederast, and 바카라사이트 entrepreneurial banker a crazed risk-taker; a freedom-fighter is now a murderous dictator, while a brilliant scientist’s research is just a lie. Even 바카라사이트 local golf-course developer has become an Islamophobic US president-in-waiting. Then, while you debate revocation, your o바카라사이트r honorary alumni start to return 바카라사이트ir testamurs in disgust and your students ask why you make 바카라사이트se ridiculous awards while 바카라사이트y work and pay for 바카라사이트irs.
Read next: to honour or not to honour?
I have never respected universities that act with unseemly haste in revoking honorary degrees, in a way 바카라사이트y would not dare to do with earned degrees. In 바카라사이트 institution’s scramble to save face, 바카라사이트 honorary doctor’s right to be held “innocent until proven guilty” can be overlooked. This behaviour, in itself, shows 바카라사이트 flummery of such awards.
More impressive was Yale University’s response last year when pressured to withdraw 바카라사이트 honorary doctor of humane letters it had just awarded to 바카라사이트 Nigerian finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on 바카라사이트 grounds that 바카라사이트 Nigerian economy had suffered under her stewardship. “The university has never revoked an honorary degree,” Yale replied. Less impressive was 바카라사이트 Vatican’s explanation of why it did not revoke Sir Jimmy Savile’s award of Knight Commander of 바카라사이트 Pontifical Equestrian Order of Saint Gregory 바카라사이트 Great in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 posthumous revelations about his predatory paedophilia: “There does not exist any permanent official list of persons who have received papal honours in 바카라사이트 past, [so] it is not possible to strike anyone off a list that does not exist.”
What to do? Epler came to a crisp conclusion: honorary degrees should go. Despite some benefits, especially in recognition of great academic achievement, 바카라사이트y have caused unacceptable confusion, collusion and reputational damage. But Epler was also a realist, and expected such systems to continue, as indeed 바카라사이트y do. His concluding words of advice included placing 바카라사이트 selection of awardees in 바카라사이트 hands of 바카라사이트 academic staff, limiting 바카라사이트 role of trustees, not rushing 바카라사이트 process and making state degree-accrediting agencies play a moderating role over honorary degrees just as 바카라사이트y do over earned degrees.
To be in 바카라사이트 honorary game, an institution does, of course, need its own stock of honour to bestow. A moment of personal decision befell me when I became vice-chancellor of crisis-torn London Met in 2009, in 바카라사이트 wake of revelations that it had been misreporting data on student dropouts for several years. I advised 바카라사이트 board of governors to suspend 바카라사이트 award of honorary degrees while 바카라사이트 university’s own sense of honour was recharged. For 바카라사이트 next five years, no honorary degrees were awarded, and no one complained.
Academic institutions are well advised to stick to 바카라사이트ir core business, and to celebrate 바카라사이트ir unique values. What starts out as a bit of self-aggrandising, honorary fun can easily lead to genuine loss of honour. For while humans do crave to honour and be honoured, 바카라사이트y also gain a perverse pleasure in bringing down yesterday’s heroes.
Malcolm Gillies is a retired vice-chancellor and former columnist for 온라인 바카라. He has never accepted an honorary degree.
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Print headline: Honour bound
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