1. Candidates for honorary degrees must have distinguished themselves through outstanding contributions to society.
2. Members of the Boards of Trustees, faculty, staff, or administrators of the university are ineligible for honorary degree consideration.
3. Local, state, or national government officials who currently hold office or who are candidates for office are ineligible for honorary degree consideration.
4. Honorary degrees shall not be awarded in absentia or posthumously except under extraordinary circumstances.
5. Only under exceptional circumstances will the university grant more than one honorary degree during an academic year, and, likewise, the university may choose not to grant an honorary degree in any particular year.

1. Four tenured faculty members
   1. One appointed by the president.
   2. One appointed by the provost.
   3. Two appointed by the Faculty Senate.
Faculty members will serve staggered four-year terms. No college may have more than one representative.
2. The president of the Faculty Senate, or designee
3. The president of the Student Government Association, or designee
4. The president of the Staff Senate, or designee
5. The president of the Alumni Association
6. The dean of the Graduate School

1. Nominations shall originate from members of the faculty. A nomination may originate from an individual faculty member, from a department or college, or from the collaborative efforts of two or more departments or colleges within the university.
2. Any recommendations of potential nominees that come from outside the faculty shall be received by the Provost's Office for referral to the appropriate college.
3. Early in the academic year, the provost's office will invite faculty to submit nomination for honorary degrees. The deadline for submission of all materials related to the nomination will be October 15.
4. Nominations shall be written and should include:
   1. A biographical statement containing name, address, professional title, place of birth, educational background, employment history, and other honorary degrees, if any;
   2. Appropriate written documentation for the nomination, including a list of primary contributions that qualify the individual for the honorary degree;
   3. A minimum of three written references from knowledgeable persons in academia, public or private sectors who are familiar with the nominee's contributions.
5. Nominations will be handled with discretion and confidentiality as permitted by law.
6. By November 1, the provost will forward complete nomination files to the chair of the Honorary Degree Committee. The chair shall convene the committee by November 15 to discuss committee procedures and meeting schedules. Support by seven of the eight voting members shall be required to forward the nomination. Nominations receiving fewer than seven votes will be removed from further consideration.
7. By December 15, the Honorary Degree Committee must forward it recommendations to the provost. Positive recommendations will be accompanied by appropriate comments and will include the recommendation(s) of the degree(s) to be conferred. The provost will make appropriate comments and forward the file(s) to the president of the university by January 15.
8. The president may
   1. reject the nomination(s), ending all action
   2. endorse the nomination(s) with appropriate comments, and forward the file(s) to the Board of Trustees by February 1.
9. At its first meeting after February 1, the Board of Trustees may
   1. approve, by simple majority, the conferring of the honorary degree(s) upon the candidate(s) or
   2. reject the nomination(s) ending all action
10. Upon approval by the Board of Trustees, candidates will be informed by the president of their selection and invited to accept the honorary degree. Following acceptance, a public announcement will be made, and the degree will be conferred at the spring commencement ceremony of the nominating college or colleges.
11. For the 2000/2001 year, a time line will be implemented to allow for an honorary degree to be awarded at spring commencement.

Reports to: Recommendations to Provost

Send minutes to: Chair of the Committee on Committees