U. of Fla. Denies Degree To Jeb Bush

School Faculty Votes Against Awarding Honorary Degree To Former Fla. Governor

(AP)  University of Florida President Bernie Machen says he was "tremendously disappointed" with the school's Faculty Senate vote to deny former Gov. Jeb Bush an honorary degree.

The Senate voted 38-28 Thursday against giving the honorary degree to Bush, who left office in January.

"Jeb Bush has been a great friend of the University of Florida," Machen said Friday, adding that the Senate's action is "unheard of."

Some faculty expressed concern about Bush's record in higher education.

"I really don't feel this is a person who has been a supporter of UF," Kathleen Price, associate dean of library and technology at the school's Levin College of Law, told The Gainesville Sun after the vote.

Bush's approval of three new medical schools during his tenure has diluted resources, Price told the newspaper.

Bush has also been criticized for his "One Florida" proposal, an initiative that ended race-based admissions programs at state universities.

Machen maintains, however, that Bush has benefited the university, such as by providing the funding to attract nationally recognized faculty.

Machen also pointed to Bush's First Generation Scholarship program, modeled after a University of Florida effort to help high school students at risk of not making it to college.

University officials said they could not recall any precedent for the Senate rejecting the nominees put forth by the Faculty Senate's Honorary Degrees, Distinguished Alumnus Awards and Memorials Committee. The committee determines whether nominees deserve consideration according to standards that include "eminent distinction in scholarship or high distinction in public service."

"The committee endorsed him," Machen said. "It is unheard of that a faculty committee would look at candidates, make recommendations and then (those candidates) be overturned by the Senate."

An e-mail sent to Bush by The Associated Press was not immediately returned.

[Razzl]

University administrations play the kiss-*** game with lightning-rod politicians at their own peril. They should have had some inkling given the high feeling in the country at this time over the Bush dynasty and it's misuse of the political system that this would not be a good year to put forward Jeb's name.

[tucson23]

I got a degree by studying for years and banging co-eds...it's the only way to go.

[wizest]

If Jeb feels that he has earned the honor and the respect that comes with it.
He should already have the prestige not to question the decision of the committee.

[vancouverboo]

Because he opposed racial quotas and because he started 3 medical schools. According to the story.
Sorry I can't give him an award for fighting illness and fighting racism. But that's politically correct America.

[jebby_one]

UofF has taken over from Miami as the party school of America with a faculty more interested in developing welfare reciepients and perpetual victims than in developing leaders.

Such action was to be expected. What next? How about an honorary degree to Fidel Castro?

[bigsk8fan]

The reason for the rejection of Jeb for the honorary degree must have been apparent to even Bush fans. You see what is happening, but you close your eyes to the impact. They create laws that sound like they are supporting something, for example: the Clean Air Act which has nothing to do with clean air, but how much pollution can we make; the No Child Left Behind Act, which underfunds and leaves almost all children with a minimal education; and JEB's own ecuational proposals that are more like left handed compliments. Conservatives will probably be out clammering how much a Southern college is now controlled by "liberals". This is always their chant for how bad things always seem to happen to our conservative "victims".

[walt1944-2009]

Being a native of another state, I am not sure what Jeb Bush's accomplishments (if any?) have been to the state of Florida, aside from helping deliver the state for his brother (Yuch!) in 2000, even though it later appears that Al Gore won Florida. I have often wondered how people who never crack open a book or spend a dime of their own money, can get an "honorary" degree simply because they have "influence", while the average family spends thousands of dollars just to get their kid a bachelor's. In Jeb Bush's case, if it were up to me, I wouldn't give the guy a pot to boil water in, simply because his name is Bush and knowing what his father and brother have done to (not for) this country. Besides, Jeb, being a Bush, probably wouldn't know how to boil water anyway!

[jebby_one]

"... simply because his name is Bush "

------------------

hmmm? isn't that the kind of thinking that usually precedes the commission of a hate crime?

[inventagod]

Yet another Bu$h family failure...

[rohink-2009]

Barbra Streisand : Completed high school. Career: Singing and acting

Cher: Dropped out of school in 9th grade. Career: Singing and acting

Martin Sheen : Flunked exam to enter University of Dayton. Career:
Acting

Jessica Lange Dropped out college mid-freshman year. Career: Acting

Alec Baldwin Dropped out of George Washington U.
...

These people received honorary college degrees. So did kermit the frog and Robert Mugabe.

Bush doesn't need an "honorary degree". He earned his on his own.

[rohink-2009]

Yet another Bu$h family failure...
Posted by inventagod

How so? Because of College politics? Hardly.

[agnim]

"U. of Fla. Denies Degree To Jeb Bush"

Good move!

Those degrees should be for people who would promote the Common Good, not for those who rather promote narrow and narrow-minded special interests.

[rohink-2009]

If Jeb feels that he has earned the honor and the respect that comes with it.
He should already have the prestige not to question the decision of the committee.
Posted by wizest

Hey wizest,
I didn't read anywhere that he questioned the decision.

[agnim]

Moreover, the Jeb is a VERY BAD PARENT!

His drug addicted child (like her drug addicted uncle and cousins) repeatedly gets away with drug-related crimes just because of her genetic connections.

[rohink-2009]

There failures and success in everyone's lives.

[rohink-2009]

Parents who's children suffer bouts of drug addiction doesn't make them bad parents. And as for "genetic connections" getting you out of trouble, has been going on since the dawn of man. It's not fair. It's fact.

[jebby_one]

neo-commie proclaims:

"Moreover, the Jeb is a VERY BAD PARENT!"

---------------

Wow!

Since you broke the subject I guess it's now ok to compare Jeb's daughter to Democrat Presidential candidate George McGovern's daughter Terry. Did George get any honarary degrees? I can't imagine any business school giving him an honorary degree. Besides his miserable failure as a parent he also had a miserable failure as a business owner.

http://www.sonic.net/~barny/terry.html

[salty1954]

He is just another slimeball from one the the most powerful crime families in America. He will spend eternity in the fires of hell with the rest of his clan.

[agnim]

"There failures and success in everyone's lives.
Posted by rohink at 11:34 AM : Mar 24, 2007"

That is true; but we don't reward (and so encourage) the 'failures' with honorary degrees?"

Who in their right mind honor 'failures' with degrees?

[agnim]

"Parents who's children suffer bouts of drug addiction doesn't make them bad parents.
Posted by rohink at 11:38 AM : Mar 24, 2007"

No, it makes them good parents! Sheesh!

No wonder the children grow up not taking responsibility:
THE PARENTS RUN AWAY FROM RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S ACTIONS, actions performed as children!

[hsinco-2009]

I think the "good family name" of Bush is showing signs of cracking. Jeb is just gonna have to realize his brother has fuqued up so bad, the entire family will never recover face.

[barbaraf4]

I don't believe Jeb was nominated without knowing it. Daddy Bush is constantly playing in the background.

[scott4261]

I'll bet the Bush family wishes that Jeb had run for president instead of George W.

[jebby_one]

geez! these messages are soooo funny.

does anyone know an honest Democrat? to watch Democrats try to create a moral high ground is like watching them trying to build a 20 story building on quicksand :)

[scott4261]

A more appropriate question in 2007 is "Does anybody know an honest Republican?" Maybe Arnold...but you nutjobs are calling him a RINO. Whatever....

[rohink-2009]

Who in their right mind honor 'failures' with degrees?
Posted by Agnim

He earned his own college degree and got it in two years instead of 4 with a high grade average. Let's just give the "honorary degrees" to the hollywood actors, some of which didn't even finish high school.

[rohink-2009]

"Parents who's children suffer bouts of drug addiction doesn't make them bad parents.
Posted by rohink at 11:38 AM : Mar 24, 2007"

No, it makes them good parents! Sheesh!

No wonder the children grow up not taking responsibility:
THE PARENTS RUN AWAY FROM RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S ACTIONS, actions performed as children!
Posted by Agnim at

Agnim, are you a parent?

[rohink-2009]

I think honorary college degrees should only be given to Hollywood actors for their outstanding contribution to society.

[rohink-2009]

Who in their right mind honor 'failures' with degrees?
Posted by Agnim

Evidently colleges do.

[bellal-2009]

Unbelievable. They'll probably give the degree to Jack Nickolson instead.

[KOOLSTUF]

FARTKNOCKER2 and AGNIM both need to be cast out
because neither has tolerance for those who see
realities differently, and their remarks being so
insulting are worthless blather.

APPLE2PIE: you must be near drowning if still
thrashing around looking to back up what you say
about FL corporation tax revenues. It just ain't
so !!! Corporations here are so coddled they don't have to hire lobbyists because they have so
many seated in the legislative chambers. After
being term-limited they get on private payrolls in such capacity because they're no longer paid by the state to do the same thing.

Like most politicians, Jeb was superb in only one
thing -- forgetting all his campaign promises.
What he was REALLY GOOD at was chewing up and
spitting out the state's work force, with brain-
dead privatizing. How can a For-Profit business
save governments' dollars while set up for big
profits after recouping bribes paid (under other expense titles) ???

Whooever thinks he was good for this state either
doesn't live here or doesn't learn the news.

UF did good this time !!! But the slap to his
face will be forgotten too soon/

[jerr11]

The Senate voted 38-28 Thursday against giving the honorary degree to Bush, who left office in January.


Kudos to the University of Florida Faculty Senate!

Meanwhile back in Texas, Southern Methodist University is getting the campus ready for the great GEORGE W BUSH Presidential library.

But first they will have to order all the gravestones that will line the driveway to the library, to honor all the dead Americans GW killed when he was in office.

[puzzler125]

Actually I don't believe in honorary degrees-for anyone! Those of us working hard to get an official college degree may agree on this more than others BUT I felt this way before I was a college student (age 48).

[omega39-2009]

Meanwhile back in Texas, Southern Methodist University is getting the campus ready for the great GEORGE W BUSH Presidential library.
Posted by jerr11

How many copies of "my pet goat" is it expected to hold?

[jebby_one]

Time out for a public interest message :)

If you want to witness a REAL graduation stop by Austin at graduation time. It's probably America's biggest and best graduation ceremonies.

[jebby_one]

BTW, democrats have a long history of slicing off their noses to spite their faces. This is just another example. U of F lberal professors couldn't pass on the opportunity to insult a Republican governor with a last name of Bush.
Next year they'll probably give an honarary degree to Fidel Castro.

[jn122736]

geez! these messages are soooo funny.

does anyone know an honest Democrat? to watch Democrats try to create a moral high ground is like watching them trying to build a 20 story building on quicksand :)
Posted by Jebby_One at 02:40 PM : Mar 24, 2007:
-----------

I don%u2019t believe the democrats can really build a moral high ground with the present campaign system so corrupt.

They really don%u2019t need to anyway. The republican party has sunk so deep over the past 12 years that the democrats just appear to have the moral high ground.

[toolmangler-2009]

I agree with Puzzler125 more than anyone else. Honorary degrees belittle those who had to 'earn' theirs. Those whom think jeb should have gotten it are also those that will vote for J.Edwards out of sympathy for his wifes cancer. My prayers are for her, not him. I 'do' believe that the slight was politically motivated and made public out of malice not truth telling.

[toolmangler-2009]

Now the U.F. is trying to cover its financial butt by making jebby an Honorary 'Alumnus'. sheeeeeeeesh!!!! what a bunch of two faced _____s.

[iceman_1960]

According to unconfirmed reports, Jeb Bush was pulling for Butler.

[firststate]

Jeb earned his degree at Texas. If Jeb wants another degree maybe bush41 could buy him one from Yale, where he bought Duh-baya's.

[firststate]

Jeb earned his degree at Texas. If Jeb wants another degree maybe bush41 could buy him one from Yale, where he bought Duh-baya's.

[feelfree1]

Re: "Bush's approval of three new medical schools during his tenure has diluted resources..."

Isn't it possible that they just did not want to honor this treasonous dipshit?

www.ericblumrich/gta.html

[abbe7]

38-28 ... well. Wrong voting system ... they should have used electronic machines

http://informedconsent.typepad.com/informed_consent/files/CCF03132007_00001.pdf

[grumpas]

'Isn't it possible that they just did not want to honor this treasonous dipshit?' posted by feelfree1. I will have to agree with his post! He didn't do a whole lot for Florida so why should they honor him! Maybe Bush senior needs to take his idiot sons out and buy them another box of cracker jacks where he got Georgie's degree at!

[coffeehead-2009]

He's dumb as an ox.

whenever florida SCHOOL CHILREN wanted to make a point about his PRIVATIZED education filter - the FCAT *only for public school children* -

He FAILED the sample question.

I never saw the purpose in "honorary" degrees to people who deserve no "honor". Unless of course it is the POLITICS of educators who are looking for that next big "administrative" raise.

[iceman_1960]

"Isn't it possible that they just did not want to honor this treasonous dipshit?"

In fairness to Jeb Bush, he may well be a loyal and patriotic dipshit, not a treasonous one.

[coffeehead-2009]

Jeb is as unamerican as they come.
He could give a Sh~t about anyone but himself. His children are a disgrace and he is an elitistist who lives off good peoples hard work and retirement $$$. He's an enron profiteer.


When a company announces a $600 million loss in three months, its CEO quits and its stock price drops like a brick %u2014 most investors would sell their shares: Not the Florida Retirement System.

Mismanagement Made the Enron Loss Inevitable, the State Board of Administration (SBA) repeatedly engaged in poor investment practices under the watch of its Board of Trustees, chaired by Gov. Jeb Bush. Despite warnings from inside and outside the SBA, the trustees failed to correct these problems, leading to a stunning loss on Enron stock nearly three times greater than that of any other state retirement fund


Maybe it was because Enron gave $154,425 %u2014 80 percent to Republicans %u2014 to Florida legislators in 1996 and 1998, including $6,500 for Jeb%u2019s campaign.

Maybe it was because Jeb hired Alliance Capital Management %u2014 a firm with an Enron director on its board %u2014 to oversee its Enron stock.

Maybe it was because Jeb appointed a political crony Coleman Stipanovich %u2014 brother of Republican fixer Mac Stipanovich %u2014 to oversee Alliance Capital Management.

Maybe it was because former president Richard Kinder hosted a fundraiser for Jeb in Houston on Jan. 17 %u2014 just a month after the dirty deed was done.

[donnybd]

The man who ended polution control for cars.
Now Floridians remove the catalic converters.
don

[mike71067]

Florida did this? The people who are saying that Jeb Bush doesn't deserve an honorary degree are the same group of idiots that couldn't follow simple directions on a ballot in 2000?

Jeb Bush should be honored by this.