University chief renounces doctorate in protest to Trump golf course

September 2010. Dr David Kennedy, the first principal of The Robert Gordon University and member of Tripping Up Trump, returned to the University on Tuesday 28 September to renounce the honorary doctorate it conferred on him in 1999. Dr Kennedy is returning his honorary degree in protest at the University's decision to confer an honorary doctorate on developer Donald Trump and to express his support for the families at Menie that Mr Trump is trying to force from their homes.

"An insult to decent people everywhere"
Dr Kennedy who was the visionary that took RGU into University status said: "I was shocked and appalled at the decision of The Robert Gordon University to honour Donald Trump. Mr Trump is simply not a suitable person to be given an honorary degree, and he should not be held up as an example of how to conduct business. Mr Trump's behaviour in North-east Scotland has been deplorable from the first, particularly in how he has treated his neighbours. The abuse and bullying meted out to North-east families living adjacent to Mr Trump's land has been utterly disgraceful. For the University to then praise Mr Trump is an insult to decent people everywhere.

"The University needs to realise how strongly people feel about this issue. I can think of no better way to express my anger at the decision to honour Mr Trump than to return my own honorary doctorate to the University. I would not want to hold the award after Mr Trump has received his."

Tripping Up Trump
Martin Glegg of campaign group Tripping Up Trump said: "We hope The Robert Gordon University take heed of Dr Kennedy's decision and cancel the planned award of a degree to Mr Trump. Mr Trump has brought nothing but anguish and worry to his neighbours at Menie and his bulldozers are even now vandalising an important and legally protected nature conservation site. This is not a man who should be honoured, least of all here. The strength of feeling there is against Mr Trump and his methods is shown by the thousands who have joined Tripping Up Trump's campaign and by opinion polls which show most Scots do not support Mr Trump's development."

Menie resident David Milne said: "I want to thank Dr Kennedy for his principled stand. His support and the support of thousands of others has helped us carry on through all the stress and worry of the last three years."