UMass Revokes Zimbabwe President's Honorary Degree

This story was written by UWIRE,

The University of Massachusetts Board of Trustees on Thursday revoked an honorary degree awarded to Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe.

The unanimous vote came after a year of questioning Mugabes policies and considering alleged human rights violations.

The degree, a doctor of laws, was given in 1986 when he was considered a force for democracy and reform, according to the universitys Web site.

Rescinding an honorary degree is a step to be taken in only the rarest and most grievous of circumstances, Robert J. Manning, chairman of the UMass Board of Trustees, said in a release. After studying this issue for more than a year, the University of Massachusetts Trustees have decided that Robert Mugabes performance and policies in Zimbabwe are so egregious as to warrant this ultimate expression of disapproval.

UMass student newspaper The Daily Collegian has covered the story.