Jerry Berger, St. Louis Post-Dispatch gossip columnist, recently ruminated that American Airlines CEO Don Carty and social activist and art aficionado Emily Rauh Pulitzer have agreed to received honorary degrees from the University at commencement this year.
While essentially a gossip column, albeit often an accurate one, one former TWA, now American Airlines, flight attendant has written to University President Lawrence Biondi, S.J., expressing her displeasure with Carty’s possibly impending award.
In her letter, dated Jan. 17, Sherry Cooper cited the recent and expected furloughs of former TWA flight attendants. She said, “Mr. Carty’s actions are unworthy of a humanitarian award.”
The University president’s office did not return calls regarding the validity of Berger’s rumor. However, in the past two years, the University has announced honorary degree recipients less than two weeks prior to commencement.
Don Carty could not be reached for comment.
Cooper, a former TWA board member, is currently on what she termed “overage leave” from American Airlines. She said in an interview with The University News, “Honorary degrees are to honor someone who does something worthwhile or community service for a community, and unless you want to count job loss and personal and financial devastation as the criteria, what has he done to bolster the St. Louis community?”
Citing statistics, which can be confirmed by recent articles in the Post-Dispatch, Cooper states in her letter to Biondi that 1,284 former TWA flight attendants, as well as an additional 343 later this month, have been furloughed. That number, Cooper said, represents 39 percent of the former TWA flight attendant work force.
In addition, Cooper warned that informational picketing is being considered at the commencement ceremonies, and she expects numerous other individuals, including some Parks College alumni, to send letters to Biondi expressing their displeasure with Carty’s award. “This is far from over,” she said.
Cooper is also one of two plaintiffs named in a lawsuit filed in October in St. Louis against American Airlines and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, the union representing American Airlines attendants. The lawsuit essentially seeks to allow former TWA flight attendants the opportunity to receive additional training and relocate from the St. Louis base.
Cooper told of a recent forum with Carty, where she said that he basically told former TWA employees to “get over it.” She said, “That sums up Don Carty’s philosophy … I don’t think that fits the criteria of what an honorary degree is about.”
According to the University’s nomination form for honorary degrees, the nominating individual should provide evidence of the following:
* the candidate’s achievements or accomplishments, which have contributed to the improvement of humankind and whose life represents the essence of service, in the Jesuit tradition;
* the candidate’s public perception and reputation;
* the candidate’s previous honors, awards and academic degrees.
American Airlines, like other airline carriers, has endured poor economic conditions recently, particularly after Sept. 11, 2001. On Tuesday, American Airlines reported a $3.5 billion loss last year, said SLU finance professor Mike Alderson.
Alderson noted that when American Airlines acquired TWA assets in early 2001, following TWA’s bankruptcy, the buyout appeared to be the best solution.
Upon hearing of some discontent among former TWA’s employees, Alderson said, “Carty was doing, the economically necessary thing, but that unfortunately comes with high human cost.” Alderson added that there might be people at American Airlines who would probably encourage Biondi to award Carty the Sword of Loyola, the University’s highest honor.
