Posted on 03/24/2007 6:09:19 PM PDT by veronica
Former Gov. Jeb Bush was snubbed for an honorary degree at the University of Florida - but he can still call himself an honorary alumnus.
The university's Alumni Association's Board of Directors passed a resolution Saturday to make Bush an honorary alumnus. The move came on the heels of a 38-28 Faculty Senate vote on Thursday to deny Bush an honorary degree.
The main difference between the awards is that the degree is given by the university and the alumni association decides who receives honorary alumni status, said Steve Orlando, a University of Florida spokesman. The association extends the honor to a handful of people each year.
"They might be in two different categories, but from the alumni perspective, we highly respect those that have been given or granted the status of honorary alumnus," said Leonard Spearman, president of the University of Florida Alumni Association.
In deciding not to give Bush an honorary degree, some faculty members cited concerns about Bush's educational record in respect to the university. Some said his approval of three new medical schools has diluted resources. He also has been criticized for his "One Florida" proposal, an initiative that ended race-based admissions programs at state universities.
But Spearman said the association selected Bush because he supported research at the University of Florida, and because of his efforts to provide funding for more faculty and create a statewide scholarship program. He said the association's selection had nothing to do with the faculty's vote.
"What we did was in our own rights, not in our reaction to the Senate," he said.
An e-mail sent to Bush on Saturday seeking comment was not immediately returned.
Every college in America needs new faculties.
Left wingers are brainwashing our kids. Our greatest resource is the braintrust invested in these kids and their brains are being destroyed. The Alumni honored Governor Bush. The Alumni are older more Conservative and most people get more Conservative as they grow older. The faculty takes away ten years from the conservative life of these kids,it takes at least that long for them to realise they were brainwashed and totally lied to by their instructors.
But Algore was given an honorary degree (PhD I believe) in "Climatology" from Minnesota. I guess Minnesota is an easier college?
University officials said they could not recall any precedent for the Senate rejecting the nominees put forth by the Faculty Senate's Honorary Degrees, Distinguished Alumnus Awards and Memorials Committee. The committee determines whether nominees deserve consideration according to standards that include "eminent distinction in scholarship or high distinction in public service."
"The committee endorsed him," Machen said. "It is unheard of that a faculty committee would look at candidates, make recommendations and then (those candidates) be overturned by the Senate."
This made me so angry! BDS run amok. Certainly hope they lose some alumni funds.
and it's a secret ballot, right ? no way to determine who voted how ?
Let's face it, all of public academia is run by the far left of the Democratic Party.
They don't want Republicans on their turf.
For what it is forth, a friend of ine is a senior faculty member of the university of Florida at Goonsville (the local usage is hereby reproduced, in toto).
He tells me that he is the only Conservative in the entire department, and a closet one at that. The horror is that it is a science department, not Wymon's Study, Social Science, ad nauseam.
Any honor bestowed in this case would have been bestowed by Jeb Bush on UF/Goonsville, had he actually accepted the degree that never appeared.
Thanks for that perspective ... really enjoy it ... glad Jeb doesn't now have to honor UF !
Long ago, in the dim and misty past, Florida had what was called the John's Committee (Commission?) which was the state version of the House UnAmerican Activities Committee.
One of it's members described the state university system as "Full of Commies and Queers".
True then. More true now.
Every day, FloriDUH 'crats do things so bizarre and egregiously unConstitutional that this place has truely become "FloriDUH".
Jeb's got money. If he wants an advanced degree he can enroll in school and earn the degree. Which to me sounds like a great idea because it would keep him out of politics.
I have no idea.
When a couple of wealthy "Bull Gators" make their phone calls to the school administration, you can bet Jeb will end up with his honorary degree.
What is the point of an honorary degree anyway?
Me thinks the Florida state budget writing committee should DECREASE the increase in funding to the University of Florida... then you see/hear a bunch of bleeding heart profs squealing like stuck pigs... a very good thing.
There are three things that should happen here. First...name the 38 dudes who voted against him. It would be nice to know them and what PAC they are associated with in Florida. Second...since the key phrase used in the denial was the "dilution" of the educational sector while Governor (although the number of students edged up each and every year...thus more tuition money flowing into the system). I'd forward a downsizing committee to the university system and see how quick they react to that. Third and final...get the state legislature to limit these degrees to strictly professionals...no politicans period (Republican or Democrat)...and watch the educational sector fight tooth and nail to protect their holy status.
A "feel good" boost to the the recipient's ego?
In reality, it's an empty tribute to someone who never earned that particular degree.
Amen to that.
While I'm not a Florida citizen, I can't forget that the governor of the state declared himself helpless in preventing the killing of Terri Schiavo. He has the obligation to protect Florida's citizens in every way possible, (am I wrong about this?), and he did not take the action necessary to save Terri's life.
As far as these stupid degrees they are nothing more than ass kissing by people in positions of power at universities. Folks that maybe want something back when someone like Jeb Bush possibly attains higher office in the future. Which is why Bush did not get the degree. The Democrats understand this as much as the Republicans.
These "honorary" degrees are a farce anyway. If they gave Jeb Bush a phony degree in whatever it might take to someday perform brain surgery could he indeed go take a test and become a medical doctor then start opening up people's heads? Nope...
Oh, that is perfect!! There are a LOT more Alumni than there are goober faculty members, and it's likely that the Board of Directors heard from a fair number of them after the faculty took their petty little vote.
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