Paper chase: university's pursuit of Donald Trump revealed

Published on Thursday 21 October 2010 20:14

THEY were nothing if not persistent in their relentless pursuit of Donald Trump, the tycoon behind perhaps the most controversial development in Scotland's planning history.

• Donald Trump. Picture: Getty Images

Documents, released to Scotland on Sunday under Freedom of Information laws, disclose that it took Robert Gordon University more than three years to get their man to accept an honorary degree from the university. Trump was first suggested as a potential recipient of the university's highest honour in December 2006 - a month after he unveiled his 1 billion plan to build "the world's greatest golf resort" in the north-east of Scotland on the Menie Estate near Balmedie.

The heavily censored documents released by RGU show Trump was first proposed as the recipient of an honorary degree at a meeting of the honorary degrees committee in December 2006, chaired by Professor Michael Pittilo, then the university's principal.

The nomination then went before the chairman's committee of the board of governors in January 2007. Details of any discussion have been removed but Trump's nomination was approved. Later that month Pittilo wrote to Trump at the "Trump Organisation, 725 Fifth Avenue, New York" informing him that the university wished to confer the honorary degree of Doctor of Business administration.

Three months later, after no reply, the university faxed a copy of the letter to the Trump Organisation. An accompanying faxed letter stated: "As no reply has been received then perhaps the communication did not arrive safely and therefore a copy of the letter is attached for ease of reference." There was no reply. The matter was raised again at a meeting of the honorary degrees committee in September 2007 when it was agreed the principal would "follow up the offer".

Pittilo tried again in October 2007. In a letter addressed to Trump, he wrote: "We do hope you might accept this honour on behalf of the University but I would fully understand if time and other commitments made this impossible. I look forward to hearing from you."

In December 2008, Trump's degree was discussed again. The final minute, released by RGU, relates to a meeting of the committee in March 2009, when "it was noted that the Principal had again written to Mr Donald Trump".

Trump finally got his honorary degree last month.

University spokesman Jonathon Shackleton said: "The reason is very innocent. He never got the original letters because we sent them to the wrong place."