An Honorary Degree Is Not An Endorsement

Although winter is lingering on in New England this year, with icy puddles and sidewalks still a hazard in the second week of April, the signs of spring are increasingly apparent. The branches of the trees on campus now sport promising buds, and the daffodils popped up with glorious color just in time for Easter. Students, too, are emerging from their hibernating habits to catch some sun on the hills around the baseball field, or on the library's lawn.

With the incomplete retreat of winter it seems premature to be thinking about graduation ceremonies, but such are the ways of academia. Seniors, of course, have been looking for jobs for some time now, and this year's search has been a particularly challenging one. Our faculty and staff are already planning for Commencement, which at Wesleyan University takes place over Memorial Day Weekend. I can't help thinking back to last year's ceremony at Wesleyan, when Barack Obama delivered the major address, substituting for the ailing Senator Edward Kennedy. It was a fine day, indeed. Candidate Obama stayed away from politics and delivered a stirring call for Public Service. Wesleyan was proud to present him with an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Laws. You can read or see the speech here.

The wag reporter for the New York Times last spring compared Obama's speech at Wesleyan to the Pope visiting Notre Dame. This year, of course, that comment resonates very differently as the mock furor continues over whether the president of the United States deserves honorary degrees from Notre Dame and Arizona State University. The president's historic status, his enormous leadership responsibility, and his ability to communicate to students and their families should make this a no-brainer, but ours is an age of political polarization in which generosity is in short supply and coherent thinking -- even in matters concerning our institutions of higher learning -- cannot be counted on. Instead of a joyous prospect -- the opportunity for graduates to hear from their eloquent president -- we have the familiar rancor and posturing of a political campaign.

An honorary Degree is the symbol of the association between a university and the recipient. As a symbol, it may well create political discussion. Today, schools that honored Robert Mugabe in the 1980s would rather forget the association they once prized. Their "freedom fighter" turned out to be a murderous dictator. In 2001 many Yale students boycotted the graduation at which President Bush delivered the Commencement Address. But even when things turn out well, it is rarely the case that a school that honors someone means to express agreement with all the views held by that person. The degree marks an occasion, and signals the highest respect of an institution for the recipient. Respect does not mean agreement. Bestowing an honorary degree acknowledges importance, distinction, and achievement; it is not a blanket endorsement. Surely President Obama's importance, distinction and achievements merit such honors. The question of endorsement ought not arise.

I hope that the administration, faculty and alumni at Notre Dame and ASU will honor President Obama in accord with the traditions and values of each school. These symbolic gestures would be especially admirable precisely because there are also important differences between the positions taken by the institutions and those taken by the honoree. The classes of 2009 at these schools would get to hear from the President of the United States at a ceremony of great symbolic importance in their lives. Having had the privilege to be part of such an occasion honoring Barack Obama in 2008, I am sure that it will be a day and a speech they will long remember.

Before we know it, spring will really be here, and the caps and gowns sprouting up will mark a change in the university's season. Our Commencement ceremonies signal both endings and beginnings. They are joyous occasions at which we mark achievement, distinction and transition. The Notre Dame and ASU communities know this, as does our president. They have this season the opportunity to honor one another, and I hope they take it.

Comments

[binrondav]

I like Roth's focus on the concept of generosity. There is something compelling about our country's capacity to always reach beyond frameworks and to create associations between things that aren't similar. Perhaps it is a stretch to associate Obama to Catholicism, or to the politics of Arizona. Yet the link allows us to see Catholicism and conservative politics in a new light: ideologies that have the capacity to embrace difference become larger and more generative. That President Obama would even want to attend the commencement ceremonies also enables us to see him in a new way: a person who has the capacity to reach outside his own framework of personal views becomes a larger and more generative person. The constitution of the USA is a very generous document. It enables the co-existence of different political philosophies and it supports the greater ideological richness of a country because of those differences. I'm sad to see people in our society retreating into tighter and more selfish positions, but I do understand that fears that drive them there.

[AnnfromCA]

Some schools hand out honorary degrees sort of like flowers at the end of every visiting speaker. Schools surely still have the right to establish their own criteria.

Or maybe not. Perhaps the days of academic freedom have fallen to the wayside. Now, public opinion dictates.

[huffingt]

If an American university doesn't acknowledge how far the country has come in electing a young inspiring first African American President, then, may be we should close that University for good.

[mcthfg]

You can say anything you want, but when you give someone a degree they did not earn following traditional means, it's an endorsement. It's a weak attempt at associating your school with someone popular.

Would you like that association to stop? Stop giving out fake degrees.

[hugo88]

Dr. Roth writes a compelling article, but fails to critically address the reason behind the controversy. The controversy is not political, it is religious and we must not forget that these are different things.

Notre Dame is one of many Catholic universities that make an important contribution to the marketplace of ideas. It is a university where ideas contrary to the Catholic church are regularly addressed. However, a Catholic university cannot appear to promote beliefs that are in defiance of the Church's fundamental tenants. If it were to do so, the university's Catholic identity would erode and with it, the important contribution to the marketplace of ideas. The U.S. Catholic bishops in 2004 instructed Catholic universities not to confer degrees upon those who act in defiance to the Church's beliefs. The Church's stance on abortion is a tenant with which President Obama does not agree. As President, Obama is in a position to implement legislation that runs contrary to the Catholic Church's core beliefs.

Obama should be more than welcome to speak at Notre Dame's Commencement. However, out of respect for the 2000 years of tradition in the Catholic Church, Notre Dame cannot appear to even suggest support for someone who acts in defiance of core Catholic belief. The country is better off with institutions such as Notre Dame because they challenge our moral belief. It takes work and action to maintain tradition and respectfully not bestowing such an honorary degree is such work that maintains tradition.

[traveler501]

actually Dr. Roth addresses the focus of contention precisely on point...when he says (and repeats) that bestowing an honorary degree is about the respectful relationship between the University and the honoree...and not by any means agreement or endorsement of their ideas. you did read the essay, right?

[traveler501]

PS as a Catholic myself, I just want to address that nonsense about "Notre Dame can not even appear...blah blah blah...core Catholic belief." name me one Catholic who really adheres to and believes each and every "core Catholic belief?" not only do I doubt even you believe each and every core belief, I'd bet serious money that on detailed questioning you will find that you (short of being a Church Scholar) don't even know or understand many of those beliefs. And see, if you were a Church Scholar, you would never have made those claims in the first place *grin* Peace.

[Growup22]

If your Catholic believes differ from the President, then why the invitation? President Obama won with a majority of Catholic votes. It is hard to believe that the only thing the Catholic religion cares about is roe vs. wade. If this is the case then half the students that attend Notre Dame should not receive their degree. There are just some traditions that should not and will not be maintained. Thank god.

[blessinggirl]

As an African-American Catholic, the Notre Dame alumni exemplify the racist, sexist and xenophobic elements within the American church. None of you have uttered a word as hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis have died as a result of the misdeeds of your "pro life" leader, George W. Bush. Nary a word is uttered by any of you about his execution of so many in Texas. Just admit you are racist. You certainly do not follow Jesus in the Catholic tradition.

[violettefemme]

Blessinggirl, you got two thumbs up here, way to go, you are a role model for thinking Catholics everywhere.

[FrankenPC]

Frankly, giving Obama an honorary degree would be honoring the entire US for evolving a little. That would be worth the honor in and of itself.

[J G H]

At one level, an honorary degree may genuinely honor an individual. Too often it honors a donor or other influential benefactor. In the case of a sitting President, however, I wonder if the schools are not actually trying to honor themselves by the association. There are well over a thousand colleges and universities in the country. Why are these particular schools doing this? Harvard might recognize a distinguised alumnus, U of Illinois or U. of Chicago a distinguished local citizen, but what is the connection with Notre Dame or ASU?

Perhaps the best action would be for the President to announce that he will accept no honorary degree while he is in office.

[RobHunt]

Congress should get to work passing legislation that forces any college getting even one PENNY of federal aid to immediately bestow honorary degrees upon Barack Obama in every field of human endeavor.

These won't be endorsements in any way. They will simply be a just recognition from every corner of society that Barack Obama is the closest thing we'll ever have to being the savior that we so desperately need.

The idea that a college could even consider NOT granting him a degree should raise flags anyway. Those schools should be investigated by the IRS, FBI, and ASPCA. Their funding should be stripped and their administrators should be prosecuted for any number of things. We all need to be together on this.

I think we should also grant advanced degrees to his children too. His children and new dog are our future!

[dct1999]

Dr. Roth has written a thoughtful piece concerning the conferring of honorary degrees. You are either unable or unwilling to make an equally thoughtful comment disagreeing with his arguments. Sad.

[BronxRobb]

Until this uproar, I had not given the concept of honorary degrees much thought. I am a graduate of Cornell University, and it is the practice of the University to confer NO honorary degrees. In its history, only 2 exceptions to this rule have been made - honorary degrees were given to the University's first President, Andrew Dickson White and to a student who was the first Presdient of Stanford.