Ah, my alma mater, at it again…

As to why they’d offer an honorary degree, here’s something from the student daily paper. Those “faculty committees”:

Northwestern University’s statement on the degree offer to Rev. Jeremiah Wright:
“Earlier this academic year, acting on the recommendation of faculty committees, Northwestern University extended an invitation to the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, former senior minister of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, to receive an honorary degree at Northwestern’s Commencement in June. … In light of the controversy around Dr. Wright and to ensure that the celebratory character of Commencement not be affected, the University has withdrawn its invitation.”

Here are some more details on NU honorary degrees.

Obama was a hero at NU before he ran for president (he gave my 2006 class’s commencement address), so I imagine people figured that his pastor, Wright, was for Hope and Change as well.

Alternatively, Northwestern Law is having Jerry Springer give the 2008 commencement address, so it could have just been plain bad judgment.