William & Mary Board votes 16–1 to confer honorary degrees on Busbee, Robert C. Scott and Glenn Youngkin after failed motion to separate votes
February 09, 2022 | The College of William and Mary, Executive Agencies, Executive, Virginia
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The William & Mary Board of Visitors voted on Feb. 11, 2022 to confer honorary degrees on Howard James Busbee ’65, Robert Cortez Scott and Governor Glenn Youngkin.
Board Secretary Michael J. Fox conducted a roll-call after a substitute motion by Mr. Brian P. Woolfolk to separate the vote on the three honorary degrees failed on a 7–10 result. The subsequent roll-call to confer the three degrees passed 16–1; Mr. Woolfolk cast the lone no vote on the final tally.
The student representative, Meghana Boojala, had urged the Board earlier in the meeting to reconsider the long-standing tradition of bestowing an honorary degree immediately following an election, suggesting the university should consider awarding such honors after a governor completes a term. "It makes sense to bestow an honorary degree after a governor has completed their term, not immediately following an election," Boojala said; the minutes record her urging but do not record a formal Board response to that point.
Minutes show the Board debated procedure for voting on the block of degrees and moved from a voice vote (which produced an unclear result on the separation motion) to a roll-call at Mr. Woolfolk’s request. The record lists each member’s vote on both the separation motion and the final confirmation; the final roll-call shows the motion to confer the honorary degrees approved 16–1.
The minutes do not record a formal statement from the honorees or additional public comment on the degrees during the meeting. The Board’s action was procedural and binding for Charter Day 2022 conferrals.
Board Secretary Michael J. Fox conducted a roll-call after a substitute motion by Mr. Brian P. Woolfolk to separate the vote on the three honorary degrees failed on a 7–10 result. The subsequent roll-call to confer the three degrees passed 16–1; Mr. Woolfolk cast the lone no vote on the final tally.
The student representative, Meghana Boojala, had urged the Board earlier in the meeting to reconsider the long-standing tradition of bestowing an honorary degree immediately following an election, suggesting the university should consider awarding such honors after a governor completes a term. "It makes sense to bestow an honorary degree after a governor has completed their term, not immediately following an election," Boojala said; the minutes record her urging but do not record a formal Board response to that point.
Minutes show the Board debated procedure for voting on the block of degrees and moved from a voice vote (which produced an unclear result on the separation motion) to a roll-call at Mr. Woolfolk’s request. The record lists each member’s vote on both the separation motion and the final confirmation; the final roll-call shows the motion to confer the honorary degrees approved 16–1.
The minutes do not record a formal statement from the honorees or additional public comment on the degrees during the meeting. The Board’s action was procedural and binding for Charter Day 2022 conferrals.
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