Two honorary degrees given to Rudolph Giuliani and retired Lt. Gen Michael Flynn by former New York City Mayor are being cancelled at the University of Rhode Island
After internal discussions that involved Marc Parlange, President of URI, the university’s trustees voted to revoke degrees on Friday.
In a statement, the president of Kingston School, founded in 1888 said that Flynn, Giuliani no longer reflect the standards and values they displayed when they received their honors.
Former NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and retired Lt. General Michael Flynn were both stripped of their honorary degrees by the University of Rhode Island. They were photographed together in 2016.
Marc Parlange, president of the university, said that URI is a civic organization and has the responsibility to maintain and protect American democracy and inspire and model good citizenship. Revoking honorary degrees strengthens our values. It allows us to live with integrity and truth.
Parlange explained that URI as a civic organization has the privilege of and responsibility for preserving and protecting American democracy and inspiring good citizenship. Revoking honorary degrees strengthens a person’s values and allows them to be honest and trustworthy.
Margo Cook, chairman of the board, stated that the Board approved the removal of honorary degrees after reviewing the President’s recommendations.
“The Board of Trustees supports University in its mission to preserve its values and promote diversity and respect.
Giuliani, who served as one of Trump´s top legal advisers, was awarded the Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa in 2003 based on his leadership in the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks, according to URI.
Flynn, a three-star Army general, who briefly served as Trump’s national security adviser before resigning following reports he misled Trump officials about his contacts with Russia, was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters in 2014.
Giuliani spokesperson did not respond to an inquiry by email. Flynn family, however, released a strong and lengthy statement in advance of Friday’s election. It dismissed Flynn as cowardly and corrupt.
Giuliani received the doctor of law honoris causa 2003 for his leadership during the aftermath of the terrorist attack on September 11.
Giuliani took part in the rally on January 6, 2021 that provoked the rebellion against the Capitol building in Washington D.C.
URI’s flawed and crooked actions endorse the destructive cancel culture and bow down to the wokemob and repressive powers, but it also reveals itself as lacking the intellectual capacity, fortitude, or integrity required of an American university in 21st-century America, according to a family statement.
The university board cited a variety of findings from URI’s Honorary Degree Committee, made up of staff, students and faculty. This led to their decision.
Flynn was among those mentioned by the FBI.
Trump pardoned the Rhode Island native, 1981 URI graduate and Rhode Islander in 2020.
Flynn is a decorated former general, and in 2012, he was appointed director of Defense Intelligence Agency. He then retired two years later.
Trump made him a loyal supporter and appointed him his national security counsel. Only 22 days later, it became clear that he was lying to Trump about communications he had with Russia’s ambassador.
Trump pardoned Flynn following his plea to guilty to lying before the FBI.
Flynn admitted lying to FBI. He called last year for an American coup similar to that in Myanmar.
Flynn was an 1981 graduate from the university. He was also a three-star Army General. In 2014, Flynn was honored with an honorary doctorate in humane letters.
The URI decision also cited two speeches Flynn gave — one in Dallas in which he said ‘a military coup was needed in the U.S.’ and another in San Antonio in which he ‘called for the establishment of ‘one religion’ in the U.S.’
Giuliani was deemed to have encouraged domestic terrorist behaviour by the university, leading to the assault on U.S. Capitol in January 2021.
According to the statement, “His words encouraged domestic terrorist behaviour aimed at stopping Congress from certifying that the outcome of 2020’s presidential election is true,”
The report also stated that he was suspended from practice in New York and District of Columbia because he made ‘unfounded claims of rampant corruption during the 2020 presidential campaign’
Image: University of Rhode Island Kingston.