Your leader referred to "high-profile but inappropriate individuals" being given honorary degrees, citing Hull University's award to football referee Pierluigi Collina. You omitted to relate the criteria for "appropriate individuals", but the objection seems to be because he was a sports figure and not closely associated with Hull.
St Andrews University gave an honorary degree to Bob Dylan. Was this inappropriate? Or is the objection only to sports figures? Hull bestowed an honorary degree on Sebastian Coe some years ago, and he was subsequently made a peer of the realm.
Perhaps your leader writer feels that both these awards were inappropriate for a sports figure - and the Queen needs to put her house in order?
Lester L. Grabbe
Professor of theology
Hull University