Almost five years after Mount Allison University denied Michael Thorpe an appointment as professor emeritus, he now has his title.

Thorpe, a vocal critic of administrators at Mount Allison, retired in 1997 after 23 years of service with the university. He was nominated three times over the last few years for emeritus status by the Mount Allison senate, but until now, the university's board of regents had steadfastly refused to grant him this honour.

In 1998, the controversy made national headlines. Faculty members signed a petition in support of Thorpe and the Mount Allison Faculty Association asked CAUT's Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee to investigate "possible violations of academic freedom."

The board's refusal to acknowledge Thorpe was unjustified and unfair, the union said, alleging the professor was being punished for his outspoken criticism of the administration.

The case drew increased attention when three other Mount Allison professors shunned the title, citing solidarity with Thorpe.

CAUT's findings, released in 2002, indicated that "in the past, the practice of conferring emeritus status at Mount Allison ... was virtually automatic," and that it was "unprecedented for a senate nominee for emeritus status to be rejected by the board of regents." The committee that investigated the case concluded Thorpe was punished for exercising his right to criticize the administration.

Now, under a new university policy established last year, faculty emeriti designations are determined by the senate. The policy also allowed a review of past nominations, which gave Thorpe the chance to be properly recognized.

Thorpe accepted his honorary title at the university's 2003 convocation in May, along with his supporters George De Benedetti, Janet Hammock and Charles Scobie.