October 19, 2008 - 11:00pm
By Sam Zarnegar
Cornell’s longstanding tradition of not granting honorary degrees came into discussion again earlier this year when David Hajjar, dean of the Weill Cornell Medical College, proposed that the medical school be exempt from this policy to grant honorary doctorates of science. In May, the Faculty Senate voted against it.
Honorary degrees, which are conferred upon non-graduates, are a way of recognizing extraordinary achievements in public service or within a specific academic field. Such degrees are most commonly doctorates, and the recipients are selected through a faculty nomination process.