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Lehigh University alumni have organized a petition -- with more than 12,000 signatures in two days -- urging the university to revoke an honorary degree awarded to Donald Trump in 1988. The degree has been discussed periodically since Trump started his presidential campaign, but anger over it took off this week amid Trump's descriptions of the events in Charlottesville, Va.
The petition notes that Lehigh's current policy on honorary degrees states that recipients "should reflect the goals and values of Lehigh University. Nominees should be someone whose work and achievements reflect our value system at Lehigh." The petition adds that Lehigh says it supports principles of inclusiveness. "Allowing Donald Trump to retain his honorary degree represents a hollow and superficial ideological commitment from Lehigh to these principles," the petition says.
A Lehigh spokeswoman told Lehigh Valley Live, "We are aware that a petition is circulating -- if and when a petition is received, we will handle it through established governance processes."
