by Jamie Elizabeth

Created on: April 23, 2009   Last Updated: April 28, 2009

It is customary for universities to confer honorary degrees upon those who speak at their commencement ceremonies, especially when the speaker is a prominent public figure. However, Arizona State University initially refused this honor to President Barack Obama.

According to the media relations department of Arizona State, as it was quoted in the Chicago Tribune, the school was refusing to give President Obama an honorary degree because he does not meet the academic criteria that Arizona State requires of those receiving even honorary degrees. This was met with disdain by many, who pointed to his record as a student at Harvard and his two published, best-selling, autobiographical books. After the media uproar surrounding this issue in recent weeks Arizona State has been reconsidering its decision.

The statement from the media relations department at Arizona State indicates that it is Obama's youth that was the main factor in their initial decision to withhold the honorary degree. The statement, that "the University awards honorary degrees to recognize individuals for their work and accomplishments spanning their lifetime. Because President Obama's body of work is yet to come, it's inappropriate to recognize him at this time." An honorary degree from Arizona State, then, seems to be more of a lifetime achievement award akin to those bestowed at the Oscars or at the Grammys.

President Barack Obama has graduated from Harvard Law, has edited the Harvard Law Review, and written two best-selling books. This surely amounts to a formidable body of academic work on his resume. However, his academic life necessarily took a backseat as he pursued politics. Nonetheless, when his relatively young age is taken into account, the achievements of his life are quite incredible, and his life has traced an incredible path through Ivy League institutions, Chicago politics, which has led him to the White House.

As Arizona State is apparently still deliberating whether or not they will bestow this honor upon President Barack Obama, their primary concern appears to be what he still has yet to accomplish in the academic sphere, notwithstanding his many other accomplishments in the political sphere.

President Obama holds honorary degrees from a variety of universities already, and he may still be able to add one from Arizona State University to his list, joining such company as Senator Barry Goldwater and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

Sources:

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/p olitics/blog/2009/04/arizona_state_obama_unready_fo. html

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21120. html

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