Rudy Giuliani has already had his license to practice law suspended, but now Syracuse University is looking at revoking his honorary law degree.
Syracuse University could be well on its way to rescinding the honorary law degree it awarded now-embattled Rudy Giuliani in 1989.
Syracuse University Student Association President David Bruen told Insider that said the university’s Board of Directors this summer asked Chancellor Kent Syverud to recommend a standard procedure for revoking honorary degrees.
Such a process doesn’t exist in the University Senate’s current bylaws, and revoking an honorary degree is also something the university has never done before.
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Honorary degrees are given out by universities to honor distinguished visitors’ accomplishments. A more real-world explanation is that honorary degrees are given out to get big-name speakers to give commencement addresses or appear on campus.
The degrees have gotten risky due to the behavior and possible criminality of some honorees. Bill Cosby received 60-70+ honorary degrees and institutions of higher education were left scrambling to revoke them after he was accused of sexually assaulting and raping dozens upon dozens of women for decades.
Rudy Giuliani tried to overthrow the United States government. Giuliani is also under criminal investigation and had his license to practice law suspended. He has turned out not to be the sort of person that Syracuse should honor.
When it seems like Giuliani can’t fall any lower, he finds a new bottom.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association