Arizona State University Snubs President Barack Obama, Won't Confer Honorary Degree, Says "His Body of Work is Yet to Come"

UPDATE

ASU Apologizes, Establishes "Barack Obama Scholars" Program. Sounds like eating "crow" to me.

Barack Obama, then a candidate for president, greeted students and supporters
at Arizona State University's Tempe campus on Oct. 19, 2007. Bettine Hansen, Tribune

It seems that there is a serious double standard playing out in many sectors of this country. The latest slight to President Barack Obama has come from Arizona State University and it is a despicable one. As you know, universities typically confer an honorary degree on commencement speakers, but this year ASU begs to differ. The university will not be conferring such a degree on their commencement speaker -- President Obama. Why? They claim "his body of work is yet to come." Whoa, am I missing something here? The honorary degree is usually reserved for those who have reached the pinnacle of their career. Isn't that appropriate in President Obama's case?

To add insult to injury, ASU Media Relations Director Sharon Keeler has reportedly rationalized the school's actions by stating that ASU, unlike other universities, utilizes an independent process for the conferral of such a degree. According to the Huffington Post, she said that honorary degrees are given "for an achievement of eminence" and that Obama was not considered for an honorary degree because his body of achievements, at this time, does not fit within that criteria.

So, let's look at President Obama's accomplishments:

Writing two best-sellers, I guess by ASU's standards aren't outstanding. He developed one of the largest grassroots organizations in the world and again, nothing spectacular in the eyes of ASU. He became the first African American President of the United States. Terrific, but not good enough for ASU. He also won a Grammy award along the way. The East Valley Tribune published an editorial within hours of the news:

Arizona State University has handed out honorary doctorate degrees to pioneering scientists and college presidents, titans of oil and computer microchips, newspaper publishers and generous donors, a foreign communist educator and a successful movie director.

But others had much still to accomplish. Barry Goldwater received his honorary degree in May 1961, three years before his Republican nomination for president and only eight years into his three decades as a U.S. senator. Sandra Day O'Connor was similarly recognized just three years in her 25 years on the U.S. Supreme Court. The editorial called it an "odd gap" that the nation's first black president would not be deemed worthy of an honorary degree. Source: East Valley Tribune

Arizona State University has insulted President Obama and many who aspire to be like him. What they are saying is that it is okay to be an under achiever like President George W. Bush and still be lauded with accolades and honorary degrees. Erma Bombeck received a honorary degree from the university in 1980, exactly what pinnacle did she reach? I know she was a prolific writer and not to trivialize her accomplishments, she has done no more than President Obama. Leontyne Price, a diva extraordinaire, was given a honorary degree in 1985, were her accomplishments much more than President Obama's? I could go down the list of past honorees and refute their claims, but that would take way too long.

I guess being a United States senator and then a president are deemed trivial to Arizona State University. Let's not forget that he was the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review and taught constitutional law at an ivy league university. He was a master community organizer whereby he helped to establish an adult education program and a college preparatory program in Chicago's inner-cities. So, excuse me if I can't see how Arizona State University could arrive at its conclusion. Wait folks, is this supposed to be the post-racial America we are now living in? Unfortunately, old habits die hard and the establishment still favors the white man in this country.

Show your displeasure by flooding their email accounts:

ASU's president, Michael Crow
Michael.Crow@asu.edu

ASU's provost, Elizabeth Capaldi
Betty.Capaldi@asu.edu

Arizona Board of Regents, Fred Boyce, president
fredboice@aol.com