Morehouse College’s faculty faced a contentious decision regarding the conferral of an honorary doctorate on President Joe Biden during the school’s upcoming graduation ceremony, where he is scheduled as the commencement speaker.
While a motion to award Biden the honorary degree ultimately passed, the vote revealed a significant divide among faculty members.
According to sources present during the call, the vote was 50 in favor and 38 against, with roughly a dozen faculty members abstaining. The White House declined to comment on the matter, and Morehouse College did not respond to requests for comment.
Originally, Morehouse leadership had announced plans to honor Biden with the honorary degree last month, stating the decision was made in September before inviting the President as the commencement speaker. However, the administration overlooked the procedural requirement of a faculty vote to authorize such a decision.
“It is imperative to clarify that the recent decision to convene to vote to award Biden an honorary degree is not in question because of current political affairs. The decision to call for a faculty vote is due to a mistaken oversight in the process, which traditionally includes a faculty vote that usually takes place in September,” Morehouse said in a statement last week.
Nonetheless, the timing of the vote, occurring amidst nationwide campus protests over the war in Gaza, transformed what is typically a routine faculty vote into a platform for staff to voice their opposition to Biden’s visit as commencement speaker.
In the lead-up to the vote, a small group of faculty members circulated a letter stating their opposition to the honorary degree, citing in part Biden’s handling of the war in Gaza as a point of contention.
The divided vote underscores the complex dynamics at play. Some faculty members embraced the opportunity to honor the President, while others expressed reservations about his policies and the decision to host him as the commencement speaker.