BY CAROLYN BETENSKY

In recent times, university presidents and boards of trustees have not exactly covered themselves in glory. Last week’s news that University of Michigan president Mark Schlissel had engaged in a hypocritical and inappropriate relationship was only the latest example of ignominious behavior on the part of a university leader. Schlissel was fired over his conduct by the University of Michigan Board of Regents, but other presidents who have committed serious misconduct have generally faced few repercussions from their institution’s boards. And then there are the presidents who are so loath to speak out against political interference coming by way of their boards of trustees – I’m looking at you, University of Florida president Kent Fuchs—that they allow fundamental abuses of academic freedom to flourish uncontested on their campuses.

So it is with real pleasure that I share with you the news of a university president and board of trustees who have demonstrated unusual integrity in the face of guaranteed right-wing blowback. I will admit that this pleasure is especially great for me, as I am a member of the faculty at the institution concerned, the University of Rhode Island. Our new president, Marc Parlange, recommended that the URI Board of Trustees revoke the honorary doctorates bestowed upon Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn and former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani (in 2014 and 2003, respectively).  The board voted unanimously in favor of the president’s recommendation:

“After reviewing the recommendation from the President, who endorsed the committee’s recommendation, the Board voted to approve the revocation of these honorary degrees,” said Chair of the Board of Trustees Margo Cook. “The Board of Trustees supports the University and its mission to uphold its values, especially its commitment to intellectual and ethical leadership and fostering an environment of diversity and respect.”

“I agree with the Board’s decision,” said President Parlange. “Based on the findings of the Honorary Degree Committee, I made a recommendation to the Board of Trustees to revoke the honorary degrees of General Flynn and Mayor Giuliani, agreeing that they no longer represent the highest level of our values and standards that were evident when we first bestowed the degree.”

There is a long-ish story behind the president’s move and the board’s approval, and it’s a story that began with the university’s faculty senate and faculty union, URI-AAUP. When the idea of revoking the honorary degrees of these two disgraced men was first proposed, the previous URI president demurred (because: reasons). President Parlange took over in the summer of 2021. I think many URI faculty members, myself included, had expected the campaign to strip Flynn and Giuliani of their honorary degrees to fade away once the new administration took office. It is absolutely exhilarating to be proven wrong.

Contributing editor Carolyn Betensky is professor of English at the University of Rhode Island, an AAUP Council member, and a cofounder and executive committee member of Tenure for the Common Good.