Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa

Taricani’s unwavering courage in pursuit of the truth has long set him apart in his profession and beyond. Respected nationwide for his integrity, Taricani was sentenced to six months of home confinement in 2004 for refusing to disclose a confidential source who provided him with a surveillance tape reportedly showing a City of Providence official accepting a bribe. A federal judge imposed the sentence after fining Taricani $85,000 and finding him guilty of contempt of court.

Taricani would then become a nationally recognized advocate of a federal shield law to protect journalists and their sources and traveled the country delivering dozens of speeches in favor of the “Free Flow of Information Act.” He worked with the Reporters’ Committee for Freedom of the Press to urge Congress to protect journalists, and he testified before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee in favor of the legislation.