Criticism of these Awards Conferring honorary degrees may cause considerable controversy for universities, especially if the recipient is a political figure. Former US President George W. Bush’s honorary doctorate from Yale University, where he had previously earned his bachelor’s degree in 1968, made waves with faculty and students alike, causing a boycott of the 2001 commencement ceremony. Similarly, the 2007 protests of Robert Mugabe’s honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh in 1984 eventually culminated in stripping the Zimbabwean leader of his award.
