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System Procedures
Chapter 3 - Educational Policies
Click here for a PDF copy of this procedure.

Procedure 3.18.1 Honorary Degrees

for Board Policy 3.18

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Part 1. Purpose and Applicability. The purpose of the honorary degrees procedure is to specify the awards that may be conferred, to provide guidelines for selection of honorary degree recipients, provide limits to the number of honorary degrees, and specify how awards are presented. These procedures apply to policy 3.18 Honorary Degrees.

Part 2.  Authorized Honorary Awards. Colleges and universities may select from the following categories of honorary degrees based upon the intended recipient's field(s) of contribution, achievement, service, and distinction.

1. Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts (Hon. D.F.A.)
2. Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (Hon. LH.D.)
3. Honorary Doctor of Laws (Hon. LL.D.)
4. Honorary Doctor of Literature (Hon. Litt.D.)
5. Honorary Doctor of Education (Hon. D.Ed.)
6. Honorary Doctor of Science (Hon. Sc.D.).

Part 3. Guidelines for Selection.

Subpart A.  Intention.  Honorary degrees should recognize and honor persons who have made exceptional contributions to a specific field or to society in general.

Subpart B.  Procedures.  Each college and university shall establish procedures for recommending candidates for honorary degrees.  These procedures should include provisions for consultation with the institution’s faculty.

Subpart C.  Justification for Awards.  Service or benefaction to the college or university does not in itself provide justification for the award of an honorary degree.  To be recognized and honored, the candidate must be distinguished with a regional, national or international reputation.

Part 4. Limits to the Number of Honorary Degrees.

1. Colleges and universities granting honorary degrees generally should limit their award to no more than one per commencement ceremony.
2. No individual shall ever receive more than one honorary degree from the same college or university.

Part 5. Presentation of Honorary Degrees. Honorary degrees customarily shall be awarded during commencement exercises, and the recipient should agree to be present as a condition of receiving the award.  On occasion, honorary degrees may be awarded at convocations or presidential inaugurations, or other ceremonies.

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Approval Date:	1/30/09,
Effective Date:	1/30/09,
Date & Subject of Revisions: 3/18/09 –Language was corrected in Parts 1-3.

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