DISQUS

andrewkfromaz · 8 months ago

The claim by the university's media folks is that the two processes of asking someone to speak at commencement and offering someone an honorary degree are independent; as such, I don't think this is a conspiracy.

Another theory that jumped into my mind is that someone on the honorary degree committee wants to wait until Obama walks on water and/or cures cancer, ends global poverty and so on to bestow the honorary degree, but presumably (and hopefully) that's not the case.

tdhurst · 8 months ago

I don't think it's a conspiracy, I think it's stupid that they basically said Obama wasn't good enough.

Chuck Reynolds · 8 months ago

It is a dick move to make such a big deal about it... Maybe they're wanting more funding for education as a lot was cut? I don't know if that's the way to get it across to him but I'd LOVE if Obama suddenly became busy and couldn't make the commencement now... haha that'd be awesome!

andrewkfromaz · 8 months ago

So what's all this, then?

"Isn’t this the same state that wouldn’t recognize MLK Day for years? The one that has waged a war on Hispanics? The same one that has some of the lowest level of education funding in the NATION?"

Kevin Spidel · 8 months ago

Public education with politicians in the news these days are cuts and more cuts. This is a total PR move. But not just for ASU. For public education as an institution in AZ and hits to your point

"The same one that has some of the lowest level of education funding in the NATION?”

Let's hope that this release, and this "ploy" gets folks at the State Legislature on board to STOP CUTTING education.

So... great PR move. And as far as your comment... "You have to earn it."

Can you give us examples of how to? Or does the Harvard degree not count?

debbie · 8 months ago

My only thought about POTUS speaking at anyone's commencement is the logistical security and transportation nightmare involved with such a visit. Will it be worth it?

Regarding your post: is it an appropriate time to give him an honorary degree anyway? He's there for the students' graduation, not just any old visit. Maybe they're trying to keep the focus on the reason he's coming, rather than making it all about him. He'll (hopefully) be around for a while.

tdhurst · 8 months ago

Kev- The issue for me here isn't really if that he's not getting a degree, it's that ASU basically told him that he wasn't good enough. NOt sure where that even came from.

Kevin Spidel · 8 months ago

Ahh.. my head was in client work all day. Didn't get the release until one of my friends showed me. Dr. Crow is so much fun ain't he.

ASU-Fail!

Nina · 8 months ago

Debbie - you kind of hit the nail on the head with this
"Maybe they’re trying to keep the focus on the reason he’s coming, rather than making it all about him."
Graduation is about student accomplishments first and foremost. He is already pulling so much focus from that, the degree ceremony would be like "President gets degree, oh and there were some students there..."

andrewkfromaz · 8 months ago

It's customary (in my very limited experience) to bestow the honorary degree on whoever delivers the commencement address. It's a brief ceremony and not much is made of it, it certainly doesn't take away from the students any more than having a popular president address them would anyway.

Nina · 8 months ago

Andrew - not much is made of it because its some scientist no one has heard of before that day and won't think of the next day. This is a little bit of a different situation.

Nina · 8 months ago

ASU says this
"We have tremendous respect for President Obama, and that is why we invited him to speak at our graduation ceremony. We are honored that he accepted our invitation, and that we will be the first university in the nation to host him for a commencement ceremony.
In recent years, we have determined not to give honorary degrees to sitting politicians or major donors, but to do so based on an individual's body of work. While President Obama has already achieved remarkable success--including becoming the first African-American president--his greatest work is yet to come. "

http://www.twitter.com/asu

andrewkfromaz · 8 months ago

"Andrew - not much is made of it because its some scientist no one has heard of before that day and won’t think of the next day. This is a little bit of a different situation."

It will be different b/c a popular president is delivering the commencement, not "some scientist" (I dislike your characterization of academics here, and I don't think it's true that they typically deliver these speeches).

I think this started out as an oversight and got political. ASU will reverse its position and offer him the degree, neither he nor the students graduating will really care, other than those who care about the political "snub."

Bubba · 8 months ago

Disclaimers: I didn't vote for him. I support him when I can, but already disagree with some of his actions.

That being said, I do not see what the big deal is one way or another. Whether I agree with him or not, the accomplishment of becoming the first African American President of the United States is HUGE. If ASU says they are waiting for "his greatest work...yet to come": why? Becoming President is not a sufficient accomplishment? Sheesh.

On the other hand, we all acknowledge that an honorary degree is purely PR, otherwise meaningless. Why does anyone care?

BTW, great discussion topic, Tyler.

andrewkfromaz · 8 months ago

I think most ASU people got blindsided by the fact that he's coming to ASU, particularly the honorary degree committee. Who would have anticipated that he would elect to come here? The statement that Obama may have not even been nominated for an honorary degree (yet) simply tells me that no one felt particularly motivated to offer him the degree this year. He'll be the first Black President for at least four years, and he certainly has a lot of potential to have a big impact in that time (or, for that matter, after his Presidency ends! See: Jimmy Carter's Nobel Peace Prize, for example).