[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Pages 20844-20845]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         OXFORD UNIVERSITY AWARDS JOHN BRADEMAS HONORARY DEGREE

 Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I was among a number of former 
Rhodes Scholars present on July 3, 2003 at the Sheldonian Theatre in 
Oxford, England, when our distinguished former colleague in the House 
of Representatives, John Brademas, was awarded the honorary degree of 
Doctor of Civil Law by Oxford University. Dr. Brademas, who served in 
the House of Representatives from 1959 to 1981, 22 years, the last 4 as 
majority whip, represented the then Third District of Indiana.
  Described in the degree citation as ``a man of varied talents and 
extraordinary energy, the most practical of academics, the most 
scholarly of men of action,'' Dr. Brademas was praised for sponsoring 
laws in Congress ``which gave important support to colleges, libraries 
and cultural activities'' and for promoting ``legislation to help the 
weak by Federal subventions for those in need.''
  The citation, presented by Oxford University's new Chancellor, Chris 
Patten, also hailed Dr. Brademas, who served as President of New York 
University from 1981 until 1992, on having become ``president of one of 
the greatest universities'' and for ``collecting enormous sums of 
money'' for NYU.
  Read in Latin by Oxford's Public Orator, the citation noted that Dr. 
Brademas had studied at Harvard, earned a Ph.D. at Oxford with a study 
of Spain and, ``mindful of his Greek ancestry, is a founder of the 
Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe.'' Said 
Chancellor Patten, in presenting the degree to Dr. Brademas:

       You have had an outstanding career; you have played a 
     distinguished role in political

[[Page 20845]]

     life, while for the academy you have caused a golden stream 
     of benefaction to gush forth.

  In commenting on the award, John Sexton, current President of New 
York University, said:

       John Brademas shaped the transformation of NYU into the 
     great university it is today. He came to us already a world 
     citizen and he made us a world university. And today, as our 
     President Emeritus, he continues to play a major role through 
     his counsel and his enormous efforts on our behalf.

  Dr. Brademas was the only American so honored by Oxford during 
ceremonies marking the Centenary of The Rhodes Trust, which administers 
the Rhodes Scholarships. The other former Rhodes Scholars awarded 
degrees were Robert J. L. Hawke, former Prime Minister of Australia; 
Rex Nettleford, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West 
Indies; and David R. Woods, Vice-Chancellor of Rhodes University, South 
Africa.
  A graduate, B.A., magna cum laude, of Harvard University, Dr. 
Brademas studied at Brasenose College, Oxford, from 1950 to 1953.
  Having myself enjoyed the great experience of studying at Oxford 
University on a Rhodes Scholarship, I naturally take pride in the 
achievements of John Brademas. I am sure that members of both the 
Senate and House of Representatives, on both sides of the aisle, join 
me in congratulating our former colleague on this high honor.

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