SCOTLAND'S oldest university has been accused attacking academic freedom after it publicly criticised a staff member over a bid to strip shamed cardinal Keith O'Brien of his honorary degree.
St Andrews University lecturer Manfredi La Manna, who instigated the move, also criticised the decision, claiming he wanted to know "how low should an honorand’s behaviour sink" before they have their degrees removed.
St Andrews dismissed the appeal to revoke the former head of the Catholic Church in Scotland's award given to him in 2004.
The university’s senate business committee, chaired by the principal, Dr Louise Richardson, met on Thursday to consider whether to rescind the doctorate.
The committee ruled that revoking the award would not change wrongdoings of the past and would be "no more than an empty gesture".
It also criticised Mr La Manna, a lecturer in economics at St Andrews, who urged the senate to uphold its 600-year-old values of “honour, trust and human dignity".
Cardinal O'Brien stepped down in disgrace two years ago after admitting sexual misconduct and claiming his behaviour had “fallen below the standards expected of me as a priest, archbishop and cardinal”.
He had been awarded an honorary degree in divinity in June 2004, along with disgraced former RBS chief Fred Goodwin.
The honor came less than a year after he was made a cardinal.
Mr La Manna said: "I am disappointed, but not wholly surprised, at the university’s decision to keep honouring Keith O’Brien as one of its graduates. I would have thought that as O’Brien’s behaviour was considered disreputable enough for the Holy See to withdraw his rights as Cardinal, the University would have been on safe grounds by rescinding his honorary degree.
"But what I consider a symbolic re-affirmation of the values of honour and dignity to be upheld by universities is apparently an 'empty gesture'. It would be interesting to know how low should an honorand’s behaviour sink before withdrawing the symbolic honour is deemed appropriate."
He added: "As to the alleged 'inappropriate manner' of my bringing this issue into the public domain, I believe I have behaved honourably.
"It is a sad day for academic freedom if the public expression of considered argument is regarded as “an attempt to prejudice the decision-making processes of the committee."
A St Andrews statement said: "The Senate Business Committee recognises that universities award honorary degrees in good faith on the basis of evidence available to them at a point in time, that revocation cannot change or ameliorate the wrongs of the past and that, notwithstanding the very real hurt and loss caused by the actions of the honorand, it would be no more than an empty gesture.
"The committee also formally recorded its disapproval of the inappropriate manner in which the request had been brought into the public domain before any decision had been reached by SBC in what could be interpreted as an attempt to prejudice the decision-making processes of the committee."
Cardinal O'Brien also received an honorary degree a month after his St Andrews award by his alma mater Edinburgh University, along with JK Rowling.
The cardinal graduated with a BSc in chemistry from the university in 1959, and later trained at Moray House to become a teacher.
At the time he said: "My years spent as an undergraduate from 1955-59 were a time of great happiness for me, spent in a challenging and stimulating atmosphere."
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