With the passing of graduation for Undergraduate and Graduate students at SAIC, I pose the question: what kind of knowledge do we honor? This question should not just define graduating degrees for students, but also the honorary degrees awarded by the school. Apparent in this year’s graduation ceremony was a conflicting agenda of politics associated with the School of the Art Institute, demonstrated by the choices of the honorary recipients. Alfredo Jaar—an artist lauded for his commitment to exposing the effects of the abuse of power, dislocation of people and his series of works (1994-2000) that center on the genocide in Rwanda—was the commencement speaker and one of four honorary degree recipients. The other three honorary degree recipients were Ellen Lanyon, an artist acclaimed in the city of Chicago for public art works and murals; Margaret C. Daley, Chair of After School Matters, associated with Gallery 37 and wife of Mayor Richard M. Daley; and Mayor Daley himself, applauded for his dedication to supporting the arts.
On one side of the spectrum was the commencement speaker, Alfredo Jaar, acknowledged for his films, architecture and photographs that document moments of awareness in areas distraught by human suffering. On the other side, was the politician Mayor Daley, slinking behind Millennium Park and multi-billion dollar deals. In past years the honorary doctorates have been awarded to artists that have made significant achievements, not politicians. At what point was it decided that the School of the Art Institute would bestow honorary degrees to non-artists? Let’s see, that would be this year, 2007.
Okay, so setting aside the fact that Mayor Richard M. Daley is not an artist, wouldn’t an honorary doctorate degree symbolize similar achievements as a non-honorary doctorate? Wouldn’t it possibly represent what we are really trying to commend and celebrate: the quest for knowledge, years of dedication to the pursuit of understanding and making, and the history of that practice? And doesn’t that pursuit usually involve an active investigation?
Well, Mayor Richard M. Daley definitely calls to mind a slew of active investigations, but not the sort that institutions generally award. The current investigation, celebrated this year, is actually an ongoing series of investigations which alleges that, as former Cook County state attorney from 1981 to 1989, Mayor Daley had full knowledge of the systematic torture employed by Jon Burge, former Police Commander. And recently in February, Flint Taylor, a civil rights attorney with the People’s Law Office, named both Mayor Daley and former Mayor Jane Byrne as defendants in a law suit involving torture survivor Darrel Cannon. Cannon is one of 146 African American men that have accused Jon Burge and his subordinates of torture.
Why isn’t Northwestern University awarding Mayor Richard Daley with an honorary degree? Well, because the lawyers and professors associated with the law school (the MacArthur Justice Foundation) have called for a federal investigation into the mock investigation performed by the state. The MacArthur Justice Foundation’s website is currently dedicated to questioning the ongoing investigations, where torture was proven, yet no one was indicted.
So the question remains, how was it ethically possible for the School of the Art Institute to honor a former state attorney who allegedly refused to investigate brutal acts of torture? By smoothing it over with a British accent? Or by reminding people of the elected benefactors that established a beautified downtown with a Frank Gehry sculpture? Or by claiming that even with Chicago’s dysfunctional recycling program, Mayor Richard M. Daley is green at heart? Maybe that works for some instances, but torture? I don’t buy it. But, someone did, or rather a school of people: the School of the Art Institute.
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