Honorary Degree in US Politics
An honorary degree is a type of academic degree that is awarded to individuals in recognition of their outstanding achievements in a particular field, or for their contributions to society more broadly. Honorary degrees are typically awarded by universities and are often accompanied by a certificate or diploma.
Politicians are often the recipients of honorary degrees because they might have made significant contributions to society, but also consider universities might award an honorary degree to a prominent politician as a way to increase their visibility, raise their profile and to appeal to more prospective students.
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There are concerns that honorary degrees are being given away too easily, which can undermine the value and prestige of the degree. This can occur when universities award degrees to politicians simply as a form of political favoritism or as a way to gain access to funding or other resources.
To limit this practice, some reforms that can be considered include:
Establishing clear criteria for awarding honorary degrees, such as achievements in a particular field, contributions to society, or service to the university.
Requiring that honorary degree recipients demonstrate a significant body of work or accomplishments.
Implementing a rigorous review process that involves multiple parties, such as faculty, alumni, and members of the community, to ensure that the criteria for awarding an honorary degree are being met.
Increasing transparency and accountability in the process of awarding honorary degrees by making the criteria, process, and decisions public.
Ultimately, the goal of any reform should be to ensure that honorary degrees are awarded in a manner that is fair, transparent, and consistent with the values and traditions of the university.
To learn more about how honorary degrees are awarded, you can consider the following resources:
University websites: Many universities provide information on their websites about their criteria for awarding honorary degrees and the process they follow. You can start by searching for "honorary degrees" or "honorary degree criteria" on the website of the universities you're interested in.
Academic journals: Scholars and experts in higher education often write articles about the awarding of honorary degrees and the criteria used by universities. You can find these articles by searching for "honorary degrees" or "university awards" in academic journals or databases such as JSTOR or Google Scholar.
News articles: News articles by journalists who cover higher education can provide insight into the controversy and criticism surrounding the awarding of honorary degrees, as well as the factors that universities consider when making these awards.
To help ensure that universities uphold the highest standards in awarding honorary degrees, you can consider supporting advocacy groups and non-profit organizations that promote accountability and transparency in higher education. Some examples include the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), the National Association of Scholars, and the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC).
You can also get involved by speaking out against universities that award honorary degrees to individuals who do not align with the values of the university or the higher education community, and by advocating for universities to establish clear and transparent criteria for awarding honorary degrees.