Thursday 19 March 2009

University provides none of the answers

Last year, Bradford University scored a significant triumph by awarding an honorary doctorate to former HBOS chief exec Sir James Crosby for his services to (wait for it) financial services.
Sir James's role in the credit crisis came early (but was undoubtedly significant) as it was he who developed HBOS's increasingly aggressive strategy - before ignoring the numerous warnings of his head of risk, Paul Moore, and then whacking the whistleblower.
So, I wonder, now this has all been aired in front of the Treasury Select Committee and Sir James has resigned as deputy chairman of the FSA, has anybody at Bradford considered asking for that ridiculous gong back?
My enquiries along this line fail to gain a response in February and it is only when I send another email asking if I'm being ignored that I finally get an answer (of sorts).
One Adrian Pearce in the Bradford press office sniffs: "I note the content of your recent email to the University. It is not University policy to discuss the status of any of our graduates, including honorary graduates."
Which seems slightly disingenuous. Bradford University was more than happy to discuss the status of Sir James, when pushing out a press release on his award back in November.

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