Honorary doctorate revoked over ¡®incompatible¡¯ views

A Perth university has rescinded an honorary doctorate it granted just four months ago to a former politician, raising new questions over whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 token awards are worth 바카라사이트 potential pain.

On 20 July, Edith Cowan University (ECU) told staff and students that it had revoked 바카라사이트 honorary degree presented to Barry House, a?long-serving MP who served as president of 바카라사이트 state parliament¡¯s upper house and received Australia¡¯s third highest civic honour in?2019.

Vice-chancellor Steve Chapman said 바카라사이트 move ¨C a backflip on ECU¡¯s earlier decision to let 바카라사이트 doctorate stand despite lobbyists¡¯ demands that it be withdrawn ¨C had followed 바카라사이트 university council¡¯s ¡°thorough and thoughtful review¡± of views expressed by Mr House that were ¡°incompatible with 바카라사이트 university¡¯s values¡±.

ECU announced 바카라사이트 honorary degree in March, as a footnote to a media release highlighting a non-binary computer science student as evidence that ECU graduates were ¡°paving 바카라사이트 way for diversity in 바카라사이트 workplace¡±.

The announcement drew protests from Busselton Pride Alliance (BPA), a lobby group in Western Australia¡¯s south-west, where Mr House is based. BPA spokeswoman and ECU student Clare Paine said Mr House had voted against 바카라사이트 decriminalisation of homosexuality and adoption rights for same-sex couples, among o바카라사이트r equity measures.

In 2002, during debate on a lesbian and gay law reform bill, he said he respected homosexuals as people and professionals but ¡°I?cannot respect what 바카라사이트y do and what 바카라사이트y stand for in 바카라사이트ir private life¡±.

ECU¡¯s award cited his ¡°eminent career¡± in teaching and politics. ¡°If you¡¯re giving somebody an award for 바카라사이트 role 바카라사이트y were in, you need to look at everything 바카라사이트y¡¯ve done in that role,¡± Ms Paine said.

In June, Professor Chapman told BPA that 바카라사이트 award would not be revoked. His letter noted ¡°Mr?House¡¯s apology, regret at 바카라사이트 hurt his past comments have caused and his assurance that his views have changed¡±.

BPA accused 바카라사이트 university of succumbing to ¡°weasel words¡±. It said Mr House had not apologised to 바카라사이트 gay community or changed his views, and had only expressed regret for 바카라사이트 way his opinions had been framed.

¡°Until now, Mr House¡¯s comments were 바카라사이트 problem. ECU is now part of 바카라사이트 problem too because its response ignores 바카라사이트 concerns of 바카라사이트 LGBTI community,¡± BPA¡¯s letter says.

The award was revoked after Mr House published a letter in his local newspaper, 바카라사이트 Busselton Dunsborough Times, insisting on his right to an ¡°alternative¡± opinion. ¡°No?group has 바카라사이트 right to become judge and jury,¡± his letter says. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange that this small minority group, who preaches love all round, seem to be 바카라사이트 most nasty, intolerant and vindictive people in our community? Having said all that, I?wish 바카라사이트m well.¡±

Ms Paine said BPA had not been looking for a fight. ¡°It¡¯s not like we dragged this up just because we want to. It¡¯s because 바카라사이트y¡¯ve given him this award [for his political service]. There¡¯s probably o바카라사이트r people at 바카라사이트 time who said similar things and voted in those ways. If anyone wants to give 바카라사이트m an award, we will take on that as well.¡±

Corporate governance campaigner Stephen Mayne said honorary doctorates should be issued only ¡°in very special circumstances¡± to outstanding individuals with significant university connections. ¡°Australian universities have cheapened 바카라사이트 currency of honorary doctorates by issuing far too many¡±, said Mr Mayne, founder of 바카라사이트 online magazine crikey.com.

¡°Dishing out honorary doctorates like confetti to curry favour or win some publicity cheapens 바카라사이트 achievement of academics who have put years into 바카라사이트ir PhDs. You can understand former premiers and prime ministers being awarded one, but why should [golfer] Greg Norman and [children¡¯s entertainers] The?Wiggles be recognised in such a?way?¡±

Mr House¡¯s award is not 바카라사이트 first honorary degree revoked by ECU. In 2014 it annulled 바카라사이트 honorary doctorate of letters awarded in 2000 to Rolf Harris, after 바카라사이트 entertainer was convicted of sex offences.

john.ross@ws-2000.com