I DO not wish to pour cold water upon Rose Gentle’s delight and pride, I presume, in being awarded an honorary degree from the University of Glasgow (“Gentle honoured for tireless fight”, The Herald, December 1). It does, however, raise questions about a now common practice by universities; including Glasgow’s in this case.
I know nothing about Ms Gentle personally but by all accounts she deserves recognition for her worthy charitable endeavours in memory of her soldier son. So far as I know, however, she has displayed or achieved no academic, or academically related, distinction outwith, or sometimes worthy service within, the awarding body. Such was the original criterion for making such an honorary award; these days, alas, observed more in the breach.
Thus this criticism is of the granter rather than of the receiver and of the latter-day wide-spread practice of universities so awarding such degrees. Is there such dearth of persons to be honoured for their genuine academic achievements and distinctions that the universities must now dispense honours to non-academic or non-academically related achievers as an unnecessary extension of the civil honours system or showbiz awards?
Darrell Desbrow,
Overholm, Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire.
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