Why do universities award honorary degrees

Acclaimed actress Meryl Streep has more diplomas 4 than Oscars 3. Oftentimes, universities will offer these celebrities a degree in return for speaking at the commencement ceremony. A little over a decade ago, Arthur E. Levine, president of Teachers College at Columbia University admitted that honorary degrees are about two things: money and publicity.

In another instance, after businessman J. Aside from stroking the intellectual egos of wealthy donors, many universities see the honorary degree process as an opportunity to score some free publicity. Kermit, receiving his honorary doctorate from Southhampton College; via Muppet Wiki. William Barton Rogers, the founder of MIT, regarded the practice of giving honorary degrees as "literary almsgiving Still, these institutions are a minority in the vast sea of colleges that continue the practice of doling out honorary degrees.

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In Data We Trust. By Zachary Crockett. Published May 18, by Zachary Crockett. Books from Priceonomics. Everything is Bullshit. Hipster Business Models. The Content Marketing Handbook. Cixin Liu is presented with an honorary degree at the Commencement Ceremony. Honorary degrees appear to have arisen out of the practice of granting dispensations from certain particular academic requirements.

These were essentially academic peerages, entitling the recipient to full privileges in the university, privileges that were much more extensive than now. After initial consideration, the special committee may request additional material in support of a nomination.

The initial nomination should:. The special committee on honorary degrees will screen nominations and recommend, with supporting rationale, up to four finalists to the President, one for each of the four honorary degrees available.

Only the Board of Regents is authorized to award honorary degrees. Only after action by the Board of Regents should the nominee be informed of the honor; this will be coordinated by the Office of the President. Every effort will be made to ensure that individual nominations and discussions of nominees be confidential throughout the process.