GENERAL PRINCIPLES
HONORARY DOCTORATE AWARD– PRINCIPLES & CRITERIA FOR CANDIDATE SELECTION
The awarding of an honorary degree is an important symbol in the life of the University. An honorary degree recognizes uncommonly meritorious accomplishments and activity, both in the academic arena and in broader areas of benefit to society, that reflect the values esteemed by a great university. Honorary degrees are conferred on those whose achievements are of such excellence that they provide, through example, inspiration and leadership to the graduates of the University.
In choosing recipients for this honor the University is also guided by the principle that in honoring individuals for their contributions, the University is also honoring itself by its association with people of such special merit
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
The following specific criteria are used by the Honorary Degrees Committee in its consideration of candidates. The Committee’s goal each year is to present a slate of recipients across a range of academic disciplines and non-academic areas of achievement. Honorary degree recipients, when possible, will be chosen to match the purposes of the Convocation at which the degree is to be granted. Those in category (a). will predominate if possible; those in categories (b) and (c) will normally number less than half of the recipients in category (a) unless the Convocation is being called for a special reason
a. The University normally will give preference to honoring individuals who have made outstanding contributions in the sciences, humanities, and professions in which the University itself is active.
b. Recognition will be given to those whose exceptional accomplishments have contributed to enhancing culture and society in Canada or elsewhere in the world.
c. The University on occasion will honor those who have made extraordinary contributions to the development of the University or the region or have achieved international standards of excellence.
PROCEDURES
Nominations: At least once annually, a call for nominations will be broadcast widely by the University Secretariat to the university community, using the traditional outlets and any additional avenues suggested by members of the Honorary Degrees Committee. Nominations may be submitted at any time to the University Secretary using the form Maintenance of Lists: The initial screening of the nomination will be made by the Senate Secretariat to ensure that the nomination adheres to these guidelines. Names will be added to the list for a period of three years from the date of nomination, at which time if the nominee has not been selected, the name will be deleted. If the person is re-nominated, and if the nomination is still valid according to these guidelines, the name will again be added to the list for an additional three year period.
From the active list of nominations, the Honorary Degrees Committee will select prospective degree recipients as required in the annual convocation cycles. Once a prospective degree recipient has been identified and agreed upon by the Committee, two members of the committee will be assigned to the nomination file in order to execute due diligence, based on publicly available information, to ensure that the nomination conforms fully to the selection principles and criteria.
Nominators will be invited to participate in the conferral of the degree as hooders, presenters or hosts, where and when possible, on the basis of their relevant relationship to the field of accomplishment of the nominee. Selection of these invitees will be determined by a group comprising the President, Director of Convocation, Provost and Secretary of Senate.
FORMAT OF NOMINATIONS
This nomination must be written under Freedom of Information guidelines. Please try and restrict your information to what is available in the public domain. Where it is necessary to include private information this must be clearly marked as such, i.e. “Information not in the public domain”.
Nominations should be submitted on the forms provided by the Co- Ordinator ( Nomination Committee ) (please note that a nomination not submitted in this format is difficult to assess and the nomination is thus likely to be undermined):
(a) a completed nomination form (copy attached);
(b) (i) a supporting submission on the form provided (copy attached) which contains an introductory statement setting forth the principal grounds for the distinction;
(ii) a brief chronological, narrative account of the nominee’s life and work;
(iii) an outline of the nominee’s most significant academic or other achievements;
(iv) an assessment of his/her standing on a basis of international comparison or in the life of the nation;
(v) any other information the proposer would wish to bring to the attention of the Committee.
(c) nominations should be accompanied by details of the nominees’ published works in an Appendix.
HONORARY DEGREES COMMITTEE
The Honorary Degrees Committee is appointed annually by Senate and consists of the Registrar and such other members of Senate as determined from time to time by Senate. The duty of the Committee is to select persons to be recommended to Senate for the conferment of Honorary Degrees.
RECOMMENDATIONS TO SENATE
( 1 ) The Honorary Degrees Committee shall submit a Motion for the award of Honorary Degrees in the form of a written report which shall be made available to members of Senate at least two days before the Ordinary Meeting at which it is to be presented.
( 2 ) The names of those recommended for Honorary Degrees are confidential until approved by Senate and offers have been accepted by candidates.
DOCUMENT CHECKLIST
(Common for Honorary Doctorate & Honorary Awards)
Nominations submitted without the following documents will be returned to the Nominator:
* A letter from the Nominator describing reasons for nominating the Nominee, including contributions or special accomplishments of the Nominee, and any other information which the Nominator feels may be pertinent to the nomination.
* Letters of Support (no more than three). Nominee’s abridged curriculum vitae containing details such as education, a field of endeavor a short description of publications (if any), specials awards, and distinguished service.
* A short biographical summary (maximum 200 words), which will form the basis of the citation at convocation should the Nominee be chosen as an honorary degree recipient.
AWARDING
Honorary degree recipients are invited to give the Convocation address but may decline the invitation to do so.
Honorary degrees are not awarded in absentia.
Honorary degrees are not awarded posthumously. An exception may be made in the case of the honor having been accepted and arrangements made for its awarding prior to the death of the nominee.
The citation for the honorary degree should be no longer than three minutes in length. In accordance with Council Bylaws, “each recipient of an honorary degree shall be presented for admission [to the degree] by the Director or by a person designated for that purpose by the Director”
REVOKING
( Common for Honorary Doctorate & Award )
The Senate may revoke an honorary degree and all the rights and privileges connected therewith.” The Senate would consider revoking the degree on the recommendation of the Honorary Degrees Committee, by means of a vote.
Degree Certificates and Letters Policy
Once your Doctorate degree has been conferred at a Doctorate ceremony either in person or in absentia, you will automatically receive a Doctorate degree certificate. This will be either presented to you by your Co-Ordinator on the day of the Convocation ceremony or posted to you after the event.
For all ceremonies, if you have not received your degree certificate within three months of the date of your ceremony and you fail to notify us of this within that period, you will be charged for a replacement certificate.
Students who have completed an award bearing non-matriculated course (certificate or diploma) with the Department for Continuing Education will receive an award certificate from the Department.