65-526: Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi ( / m ɔː k ˈ w eɪ t s i / ; born 21 July 1961) is a Motswana politician who served as the fifth president of Botswana from 2018 to 2024. He served as the eighth vice president of Botswana from 12 November 2014 to 1 April 2018. He was a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly for the Moshupa-Manyana constituency from 2009 to 2018. Initially having
130-429: A degree may be conferred on an individual for both the nature of the office they hold and the completion of a dissertation. The "dissertation et jure dignitatis" is considered to be a full academic degree. See below . Although higher doctorates such as Doctor of Science , Doctor of Letters , etc. are often awarded honoris causa , in many countries (notably England and Scotland, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand) it
195-517: A deliberate snub , the University of Oxford voted to refuse Margaret Thatcher an honorary degree in protest against her cuts in funding for higher education. This award had previously been given to all prime ministers who had been educated at Oxford. The Philosophy Faculty at Cambridge courted controversy among the academic community in March 1992, when three of its members posed a temporary veto against
260-412: A formal approval and invitation are made; often it is perceived that the system is shrouded in secrecy, and occasionally seen as political and controversial. On occasion, organisations have been awarded honorary doctorates. Honoris causa degrees are not considered of the same standing as substantive degrees earned by the standard academic processes of courses and original research, except perhaps where
325-551: A good relationship with former President Ian Khama , who appointed Masisi as Vice President, the two later clashed over a ban on elephant hunting, and Khama has since accused Masisi of having "stifled dissent". Coming to power in the 2019 elections , the opposition claimed irregularities and electoral fraud. However, an observation mission from the African Union reported that the elections were conducted transparently and met international standards. His government oversaw response to
390-656: A high school social studies teacher after graduating from the University of Botswana in 1984 in English and History. He taught at Mmanaana Secondary School in 1984 in Moshupa village before moving on to the University of Botswana in 1987 as a curriculum development specialist. In 1989, he went to Florida State University to obtain a Master's degree in social sciences education, after Masisi met some FSU faculty members working in Botswana for
455-771: A little more than a year as an assistant minister, he was appointed Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration in January 2011. Masisi became Minister of Education and Skills Development in an acting capacity in April 2014. He was re-elected to his seat in Parliament in October 2014, and was appointed Minister of Education and Skills Development on 28 October 2014. Masisi was appointed Vice President of Botswana by President Ian Khama on 12 November 2014 while remaining in his post as Minister of Education. President Khama appointed Masisi as
520-692: A move that received some criticism from international media outlets. Masisi reversed the ban on elephant hunting put in place by his predecessor, and removed Botswana's "Shoot to Kill" anti-poaching policy. In 2002 Masisi married Neo Maswabi , an accountant who later worked for the United Nations in New York and in Addis Ababa . They have a daughter. Masisi is a noted fan of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights American football program. While visiting
585-613: A policy of not awarding honorary degrees at the behest of its founder, Thomas Jefferson . In 1845, William Barton Rogers , then chairman of the faculty, vigorously defended this policy; in 1861, he founded MIT in Boston and continued this practice. The University of Virginia does annually award Thomas Jefferson Medals in Architecture and in Law, as the highest honours accorded by that institution. The Stanford Alumni Association occasionally awards
650-421: A professor with prior service at another university. Similarly, a jure dignitatis degree is awarded to someone who has demonstrated eminence and scholarship by being appointed to a particular office. Thus, for example, a DD (Doctor of Divinity) might be conferred upon a bishop on the occasion of his consecration, or a judge created LLD (Legum Doctor) or DCL (Doctor of Civil Law) upon his or her appointment to
715-445: A series of racist and antisemitic remarks made by West . By convention, recipients of honorary doctorates do not use the title "Dr" in general correspondence. Recipients are not addressed orally or in writing as "Dr" by other academic institutions – and not correctly addressed as "Dr" in their professional/personal life. They continue to be addressed orally and in writing with the form of address to which they entitled prior to receiving
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#1732851362876780-412: A university might be persuaded, or otherwise see fit, to grant exemption from some or all of the usual statutory requirements for the award of a degree. The earliest honorary degree on record was awarded to Lionel Woodville in the late 1470s by the University of Oxford . He later became Bishop of Salisbury . In the late 16th century, the granting of honorary degrees became quite common, especially on
845-496: Is a leading exponent) and the post- Hegelian continental philosophical traditions (with which Derrida's work is more closely associated). In 1996, Southampton College at Long Island University (now a campus of Stony Brook University ) awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Amphibious Letters to Muppet Kermit the Frog . Although some students objected to awarding a degree to a Muppet, Kermit delivered an enjoyable commencement address and
910-579: Is also known by the Latin phrases honoris causa ("for the sake of the honour") or ad honorem ("to the honour"). The degree is typically a doctorate or, less commonly, a master's degree , and may be awarded to someone who has no prior connection with the academic institution or no previous postsecondary education. An example of identifying a recipient of this award is as follows: Doctorate in Business Administration ( Hon. Causa ). The degree
975-600: Is believed to have awarded the first such diplomas to a group of 20 veterans in May of that year. Honorary degrees are usually awarded at regular graduation ceremonies, at which the recipients are often invited to make a speech of acceptance before the assembled faculty and graduates—an event which often forms the highlight of the ceremony. Generally, universities nominate several persons each year for honorary degrees; these nominations usually go through several committees before receiving approval. Nominees are generally not told until
1040-483: Is elected by the members of the National Assembly following a general election. All candidates for the National Assembly declare whom they endorse for president when they lodge their nomination papers, and the candidate who receives a majority of endorsements from the elected members of the National Assembly is automatically elected. If no candidate receives a majority of endorsements, the National Assembly elects
1105-423: Is formally possible to earn such a degree as a substantive one. This typically involves the submission of a portfolio of peer-refereed research, usually undertaken over a number of years, which has made a substantial contribution to the academic field in question. The university will appoint a panel of examiners who will consider the case and prepare a report recommending whether or not the degree be awarded. Usually,
1170-434: Is often conferred as a way of honouring a distinguished visitor's contributions to a specific field or to society in general. Honorary doctorates are purely titular degrees in that they confer no rights on the recipient and carry with them no formal academic qualification. As such, it is always expected that such degrees be listed in one's curriculum vitae (CV) as an award , and not in the education section. With regard to
1235-463: The Financial Times , and added that Botswana's reputation was being undermined locally and internationally, and that democracy was in decline. Masisi is in support of elephant hunting in Botswana, and believes that allowing some ivory trading would allow more funding for conservation. In 2019, he presented stools made from elephant feet to the national leaders of Namibia , Zambia and Zimbabwe ,
1300-600: The 2024 general elections , the Botswana Democratic Party lost its majority in the National Assembly for the first time in the country's history. Masisi conceded defeat on November 1, and promised a peaceful transfer of power. He was succeeded as president by Duma Boko . Masisi has been accused by some of having authoritarian views, and contributing to undermining democracy in Botswana. Former President Ian Khama, who has fallen out with Masisi since his election, alleged that Masisi "stifled dissent" in an interview with
1365-528: The COVID-19 pandemic . Amidst the pandemic, Masisi ruled by decree from March 2020 to September 2021, despite protests from the public and the opposition party. Mokgweetsi Masisi is the son of Edison Masisi (1921–2003), the long-time MP for Moshupa and many-time cabinet member. The younger Masisi grew up in Gaborone , attending Thornhill Primary School and Maru-a-Pula School . One of his three brothers, Tshelang ,
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#17328513628761430-534: The Degree of Uncommon Man/Woman to individuals who have given "rare and exceptional service" to the university. Though UCLA has imposed a moratorium on awarding honorary degrees, it honours notable people with the UCLA Medal instead. St. John's College has not granted honorary degrees since 1936, but its alumni association occasionally offers honorary membership to retiring faculty, staff, and other close associates of
1495-517: The Open University , grant Doctor of the University (DUniv) degrees to selected nominees, while awarding PhD or EdD degrees to those who have fulfilled the academic requirements. Most American universities award the degrees of LLD ( Doctor of Laws ), LittD ( Doctor of Letters ), LHD ( Doctor of Humane Letters ), ScD ( Doctor of Science ), PedD (Doctor of Pedagogy) and DD ( Doctor of Divinity ) only as honorary degrees. American universities do not have
1560-524: The University of Massachusetts Amherst also asked the university to revoke the honorary degree that was awarded to Mugabe over twenty years ago, and on 12 June 2008 the trustees unanimously rescinded Robert Mugabe's honorary degree. Michigan State University has also rescinded its honorary degree. In April 2009, Arizona State University's president, Michael M. Crow , refused to give an honorary degree to US President Barack Obama for his lack of adequate qualifying achievements thus far. Also, controversy
1625-465: The University of Massachusetts Amherst awarded him an honorary degree in 2007, in response to protests from students and faculty at the commencement ceremonies. In 2005 at the University of Western Ontario , Henry Morgentaler , a gynecologist involved in a legal case decriminalizing abortion in Canada ( R. v. Morgentaler ), was made an honorary Doctor of Laws. Over 12,000 signatures were acquired asking
1690-507: The commander-in-chief of the armed forces , according to the Constitution of Botswana . Sir Seretse Khama was the prime minister from 1965 to 1966, however he later became president of Botswana, and as of 2024 there have been no prime ministers since. The president is elected to a five-year term that runs concurrently with the term of the National Assembly . Previously, a president could be reelected any number of times. In 1997, under
1755-597: The Advancement of Science , and the board of regents of the University of the State of New York prohibited any university in the state from conferring an honorary Ph.D. effective in 1897. The number of honorary Ph.D. degrees awarded in the U.S. declined in the 20th century, and surveys by the United States Office of Education found none conferred in 1940 or later years. One of the last known recipients of an honorary Ph.D.
1820-536: The Better World Society, and others." The awarding of an honorary degree to political figures can prompt protests from faculty or students. In 2001, George W. Bush received an honorary degree from Yale University , where he had earned his bachelor's degree in history in 1968. Some students and faculty chose to boycott the university's 300th commencement . Andrew Card , who served as Bush's Chief of Staff from 2001 to 2006, ultimately chose not to speak when
1885-454: The Chancellor of the University of Botswana on 5 July 2017. The appointment, which was in consonance with Section 7 of the University of Botswana Act of 2008, was for a period of five years. It followed the death of former President Quett Masire , who served as the Chancellor until he died on 22 June 2017. On 1 April 2018, he was sworn in as the 5th President of Botswana . After he ascended to
1950-640: The Junior Secondary Education Improvement Project. Following graduation, he was employed by UNICEF in Botswana. Masisi unsuccessfully sought the nomination of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) to stand in Moshupa constituency in the 2004 general election . However, he obtained the BDP nomination for the same seat prior to the 2009 general election and won the seat. He was promptly appointed Assistant Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration in October 2009. After
2015-418: The National Assembly, majority governments have been the rule in Botswana since independence. Died in office This is a graphical lifespan timeline of presidents of Botswana. The presidents are listed in order of office. Honorary degree An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It
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2080-636: The Permata early childhood centres in Malaysia although some alumni and students contended that the government-funded centres are "an abuse of taxpayers' money". Over 50 honorary degrees awarded to Bill Cosby have been rescinded due to allegations and lawsuits of sexual assault. In December 2022, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago rescinded an honorary doctorate degree awarded to rapper Kanye West after
2145-414: The State of Public Emergency, which saw him rule by decree for this period, also bringing an end to the curfews that had been in place by the end of September 2021. On 3 January 2022, it was announced that Masisi was in mandatory self-isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 during routine testing. Vice-President Slumber Tsogwane assumed the president's responsibilities while he was in isolation. At
2210-605: The UWO to reverse its decision to honor Morgentaler. Several protest rallies were held, including one on the day the honorary degree was bestowed (a counter petition to support Morgentaler's degree gained 10,000 signatures). In 2007, protesters demanded that the University of Edinburgh revoke an honorary degree awarded to Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe in 1984. The university subsequently revealed plans to review its honorary degree policy and strip certain figures of their honorary degrees who did not deserve them. When considering revoking
2275-645: The United Nations in New York, United States, on 22 September 2018, he and his family attended the Rutgers vs. Buffalo game at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey . Masisi is colloquially referred to as "Sisiboy" among the population, a play of words on his family name. President of Botswana The president of the Republic of Botswana is the head of state and the head of government of Botswana , as well as
2340-500: The United States, at Amherst, Wesleyan, and Yale, the AM ad eundem degree is conferred upon those who rise to the rank of full professor . At Brown and Harvard the degrees are awarded to those faculty who are granted tenure and the rank of associate professor, usually after approximately eight years of service to the university as an assistant professor or for a shorter amount of time for
2405-523: The applicant must have some strong formal connection with the university in question, for example full-time academic staff, or graduates of several years' standing. Some universities, seeking to differentiate between substantive and honorary doctorates, have a degree (often DUniv, or Doctor of the University) which is used for these purposes, with the other higher doctorates reserved for formally examined academic scholarship. The Archbishop of Canterbury has
2470-402: The approved post-nominal letters. It is not customary, however, for recipients of an honorary doctorate to adopt the prefix 'Dr. ' " It is generally considered improper practice for an honorary doctor to use the formal title of "Doctor," regardless of the background circumstances for the award. Written communications where an honorary doctorate has been awarded may include the letters "h.c." after
2535-485: The authority to award degrees. These " Lambeth degrees " are sometimes, erroneously, thought to be honorary; however the archbishops have for many centuries had the legal authority (originally as the representatives of the Pope , later confirmed by a 1533 Act of Henry VIII ), to award degrees and regularly do so to people who have either passed an examination or are deemed to have satisfied the appropriate requirements. Between
2600-443: The award to indicate that status. The recipient of an honorary degree may add the degree title postnominally , but it should always be made clear that the degree is honorary by adding "honorary" or "honoris causa" or "h.c." in parentheses after the degree title. In some countries, a person who holds an honorary doctorate may use the title "Doctor" prenominally , abbreviated "Dr.h.c." or "Dr.(h.c.)". Sometimes, they use "Hon" before
2665-423: The awarding of an honorary doctorate to Jacques Derrida ; they and other non-Cambridge proponents of analytic philosophy protested against the granting on the grounds that Derrida's work "did not conform with accepted measures of academic rigor." Although the university eventually passed the motion, the episode did more to draw attention to the continuing antipathy between the analytic (of which Cambridge's faculty
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2730-428: The ban on elephant hunting and decriminalising homosexuality . When Botswana's Attorney General appealed a court decision decriminalising homosexuality later that year, Masisi (then president) spoke out in favour of the court order. In early 2020, COVID-19 pandemic in Botswana has occurred during Masisi's time in office. The President responded to the pandemic by declaring a state of emergency on 31 March 2020. After
2795-408: The college. Some universities and colleges have been accused of granting honorary degrees in exchange for large donations. Honorary degree recipients, particularly those who have no prior academic qualifications, have sometimes been criticized if they insist on being called "Doctor" as a result of their award, as the honorific may mislead the general public about their qualifications. In 1985, as
2860-427: The correct process was not followed. The Masisi government has adopted and promoted market-oriented , liberal economic policies to diversify the economy away from its reliance on diamonds . Under Masisi's administration, the country may adopt austerity measures due to the dwindling supply of diamonds, Botswana's main export, a 45 percent youth unemployment rate , and what opposition politician have criticized as
2925-460: The country's first budget deficit in 40 years. In October 2019, Masisi was re-elected president after the BDP faced the biggest threat to its unity in more than five decades, following Khama's move to the opposition, accusing Masisi of authoritarianism. In the 2019 Botswana general election , Masisi received a 52.65% majority of the vote and received a majority of seats in the National Assembly . The 2019 Botswana elections were hotly contested, and
2990-456: The critic John Ruskin suffered a physical or mental breakdown in 1840 and dropped out of the University of Oxford . He returned to Oxford in 1842, and sat a single exam, and was awarded an honorary fourth-class degree. In the United States, the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree was first conferred as an honorary degree at Bucknell University in 1852; not until 1861 did Yale University award
3055-449: The declaration, emergency powers allowed Masisi to rule by decree for a period of 18 months to September 2021, despite protests from some opposition parties. In December, Botswana found evidence of a new strain, leading to a curfew being enforced from 24 December 2020 to 3 January 2021. After nearly two years of the State of Public Emergency, and threats of protests from the public and opposition parties, Masisi announced he would not renew
3120-535: The degree letters, for example, "Hon DMus". In recent years, some universities have adopted entirely separate postnominal titles for honorary degrees. This is in part due to the confusion that honorary degrees have caused. For example, an honorary doctorate from the Auckland University of Technology takes the special title HonD since it is now common in certain countries to use certain degrees, such as LLD or HonD, as purely honorary. Some universities, including
3185-585: The first earned Ph.D., becoming the first American university to do so. Over one hundred institutions in the United States conferred honorary Ph.D. degrees in the 19th century, to more than seven hundred recipients. However, the practice of awarding the Ph.D. as an honorary degree drew condemnation from organizations such as the American Philological Association and the American Association for
3250-418: The honorary degree of a political figure, such reasons as human rights abuse or political corruption would be considered. As a result, it was announced that Mugabe had been stripped of his honorary degree. The university also planned to have a more rigorous selection procedure regarding potential recipients of honorary degrees, in an attempt to rectify the trend of awarding degrees to celebrities. Students at
3315-416: The hood, and those at the University of St Andrews wear a black cassock instead of the usual full-dress gown. An ad eundem or jure officii degree is sometimes considered honorary, although these are only conferred on an individual who has already achieved a comparable qualification at another university or attained an office requiring the appropriate level of scholarship. Under certain circumstances,
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#17328513628763380-474: The judicial bench. These, also, are properly considered substantive rather than honorary degrees. Some US universities such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cornell University , Stanford University , and Rice University , do not award honorary degrees as a matter of policy. The University of Virginia (founded in 1819) was probably the first US university to explicitly have
3445-561: The main opposition, the Umbrella for Democratic Change lodged a litany of court challenges alleging irregularities and electoral fraud. The High Court ruled against the allegations and the elections were deemed credible by international observers. The African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) concluded that the elections were transparent and conducted peacefully. The election conformed to international and regional best practices and standards. Amongst his election pledges, he proposed lifting
3510-557: The occasion of royal visits to Oxford or Cambridge . On the visit of James I to Oxford in 1605, for example, forty-three members of his retinue (fifteen of whom were earls or barons ) received the degree of Master of Arts , and the Register of Convocation explicitly states that these were full degrees, carrying the usual privileges, such as voting rights in Convocation and Congregation . There were also some special cases: for example
3575-503: The presidency, his predecessor Ian Khama left the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) to found the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF). Khama criticized Masisi for lifting the ban on elephant hunting and called his decision to appoint Masisi as his successor a "mistake". On 13 October 2018, Masisi received an honorary doctorate from the University of Botswana. Some commentators have criticized this decision, and claimed that
3640-517: The president by simple majority, before it co-opts the specially elected members. If no president is elected after three ballots, or if the Speaker determines that no candidate has enough support to be elected, the legislature is automatically dissolved for fresh elections. In practice, the president is the leader of the majority party or alliance in the Assembly. Also, given the first-past-the-post system for
3705-400: The recipient has demonstrated an appropriate level of academic scholarship that would ordinarily qualify him or her for the award of a substantive degree. Recipients of honorary degrees typically wear the same academic dress as recipients of substantive degrees, although there are a few exceptions: honorary graduates at the University of Cambridge wear the appropriate full-dress gown but not
3770-424: The second president, Quett Masire , term limits were imposed on the office for the first time. Since 1998, the president has been limited to a total of 10 years in office (equivalent to two full terms), whether successive or separated. The first president for whom the term limits applied was Festus Mogae , who was required to leave office for good in 2008. Each president gets a guaranteed pension. The president
3835-495: The small college received considerable press coverage. The degree was conferred in recognition of efforts in the area of environmentalism . The university stated: "His theme song, ' It's Not Easy Bein' Green ,' has become a rallying cry of the environmental movement. Kermit has used his celebrity to spread positive messages in public service announcements for the National Wildlife Federation , National Park Service ,
3900-455: The system of "higher doctorates" used in the UK and some other universities around the world. Some universities and colleges have the custom of awarding a master's degree to every scholar appointed as a full professor, who had never earned a degree there. At the universities of Oxford, Dublin and Cambridge, many senior staff are granted the degree of Master of Arts after three years of service. In
3965-494: The two extremes of honouring celebrities and formally assessing a portfolio of research, some universities use honorary degrees to recognise achievements of intellectual rigour. Some institutes of higher education do not confer honorary degrees as a matter of policy—see below . Some learned societies award honorary fellowships in the same way as honorary degrees are awarded by universities, for similar reasons. A typical example of university regulations is, "Honorary graduates may use
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#17328513628764030-495: The use of this honorific, the policies of institutions of higher education generally ask that recipients "refrain from adopting the misleading title" and that a recipient of an honorary doctorate should restrict the use of the title "Dr" before their name to any engagement with the institution of higher education in question and not within the broader community. The practice dates back to the Middle Ages , when for various reasons
4095-577: Was ignited about Notre Dame awarding Obama an honorary degree, as the institution is Roman Catholic and Obama holds pro-choice views on abortion and supports embryonic stem cell research. In February 2012, Rosmah Mansor , the wife of the Prime Minister of Malaysia , Najib Razak was controversially awarded an honorary doctorate by the Curtin University for "services to childhood education". The university honored Rosmah for founding and driving
4160-509: Was singer Bing Crosby , from Gonzaga University in 1937. By 2001, about 21 U.S. states had begun allowing public schools to grant honorary high school diplomas to military veterans under a program called "Operation Recognition". In Ohio, it was unclear whether public schools had the legal authority to grant them until 12 July 2001, when Governor Bob Taft signed a bill allowing public school districts to grant them to honorably discharged veterans of World War II . Lakota East High School
4225-516: Was the MP for Francistown West for many years, while another is a retired army general. He also has a sister, Phadi. In school, Masisi competed in soccer and tennis, but ultimately found acting to be his calling. In 1984, he won acclaim for his portrayal of the lead role in a Gaborone production of Cry the Beloved Country . He has taken part in several South African films. In the 1980s, Masisi became
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