Shared Governance: Honorary Degree Committee

Updated January 2019

Charge

The Committee on Honorary Degrees receives and reviews nominations for honorary degrees and professor emeritus awards, and makes recommendations to the Provost. The Provost conveys these recommendations to the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees selects those individuals it deems most qualified to receive these recognitions, The Office of the President contacts awardees and arranges for their appearance at Commencement, where the President presents the awards. Honorary degree recipients sit on stage during Commencement and receive a framed citation. Professors emerita are recognized during the ceremony and receive several lifetime perquisites commensurate with their status.

The Board, working with an ad hoc committee of faculty and staff, revised the standards and procedures for these two recognitions in 2010.

The Honorary Degree Committee consists of six faculty members, appointed by the Provost in consultation with the University Faculty Chair. Annually, the Provost and the University Faculty Chair will invite members of the faculty to express their interest in serving on the Committee. (The committee should have five members, plus the provost. It currently has six, plus the provost. Its membership will drop to five upon the retirement of one current member.)

Authority

Membership