The Glade 4.0

"Turn the lights down, the party just got wilder."
It is currently Fri Nov 22, 2024 2:30 am

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 4 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Honorary degrees
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:51 pm 
Offline
Irish Princess
User avatar

Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 1:55 am
Posts: 3679
Location: My Kingdom Come
Spoiler:
Quote:
The SDLP has said the cost of awarding honorary degrees at Northern Ireland universities is unacceptable.
Liam Neeson, Feargal Sharkey and Tony Blair are among those who have recently been honoured by local institutions.
The universities have spent almost £300,000 in the past five years.
The figures were released in response to an Assembly question by the SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie. She described the costs as "too high".
Queen's and the University of Ulster have spent a total of £294,494 on giving out honorary degrees in recent years.
Queen's has spent £99,134 since 2005 while the University of Ulster has shelled out almost twice as much in just three years - paying out £195,360 since 2007.
The university said it was unable to provide any figures for the years before 2007.
The SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie said she questioned what the value of the honours was, beyond publicity for the universities involved.
And she said the costs are too high at a time when students are struggling to afford a university education.
"I have no problem with universities investing money in students, investing money in research because that is where our future lies, particularly with the focus required on the economy and jobs and front line services but for universities to be doing this at this time, I find totally unacceptable."
Past recipients of University of Ulster honorary degrees include former PSNI Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde and Saudi prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud.
Queen's has bestowed honours on actor Liam Neeson and politicians Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern.


I don't understand why it would cost so much to give out honorary degrees.. I also don't see the point of giving them out either, other than for publicity, I guess.

_________________
Quote:
Do ever want to just grab someone and say...WTF is wrong with you?


Dream as if you'll live forever...
...Live as if you'll die tomorrow


Vivere Senza Rimpianti


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:58 pm 
Offline
Home of the Whopper
User avatar

Joined: Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:51 am
Posts: 6098
Ok, change that to "offically recognized *imaginary* degrees" and then you have the imaginary tuition that these imaginary students hypothetically *would* have had and pay off the professors.....someone's got their hand in the kitty.

_________________
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Jesus of Nazareth


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 5:04 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 10:49 pm
Posts: 3455
Location: St. Louis, MO
I suspect if you dig into it, the costs involved are related to organizing and staging the event.

_________________
Image


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 5:06 pm 
Offline

Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 9:12 pm
Posts: 2366
Location: Mook's Pimp Skittle Stable
I'm not sure about the costs, but I can answer the reason...

It's the publicity and the prestige... If you give an honorary degree to someone with notable accomplishments, that backlinks those accomplishments to your university.

In the states, it's usually about bringing in money- people are more likely to donate to a school that gave them an honorary degree, etc. But then, the ones I know of are usually awarded at a commencement ceremony, so there shouldn't be additional costs. It even lessens the costs, due to using that person as a keynote speaker instead of bringing in someone else.

_________________
Darksiege: You are not a god damned vulcan homie.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 4 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 62 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group