Southern Polytechnic State University
Policy and Procedure Manual
P&P Number:  307.03
Original Date: March 1998
Previous Revisions: none
Approved: March 29, 2002
 
Honorary Degrees
Contents This P&P includes the following main sections:
  • Background
  • Committee composition
  • Timetable
  • Criteria for eligibility
  • Nomination procedure
  • Approval process
  • Confidentiality
Background The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has authorized SPSU to award honorary degrees (BOR policy manual 308.04). This P&P document describes how honorary degree recipients will be selected.
Committee
Composition		 The Honorary Degree Committee of Southern Polytechnic State University consists of the following members, who are appointed annually by the president:
  • moderator of the Faculty Senate, who serves as chair
  • executive director for advancement
  • one faculty representative from each school, selected by that school's dean
  • one student president of an active campus honorary society, selected by the president of the university 
Timetable
Timeline Description
Fall The Honorary Degree Committee informs the campus of the nomination procedure and invites nominations no later than the end of the fourth week of fall semester.

Note:
The deadline for nominations is the end of the ninth week of fall semester.
Fall The Honorary Degree Committee gives its recommendations to the president by the end of fall semester.
Spring Honorary degrees normally are awarded at spring commencement.
Criteria and
Eligibility
  • Honorary degrees may be conferred on persons of notable achievement in any academic field, the arts and letters, the professions, or public service.
  • Current elected or appointed national office holders or officials of the State of Georgia to whom the University System of Georgia and/or its universities or colleges are directly or indirectly answerable, as well as persons who are announced candidates for national or state elective offices, are not eligible for honorary degrees.
  • Current Regents, administrative officers of the universities and colleges of the system, faculty members, and other University System of Georgia employees also are not eligible.
  • Relatively few awards should be given; no individual shall receive more than one honorary degree from institutions of the University System.
  • The recipient must be present to receive the degree. 
Nomination
Procedure
  1. Suggestions for honorary degrees can come from any source; however, formal nomination must come in writing from a member of the Southern Polytechnic State University community.
  2. A letter of nomination addressing the individual's merit as well as a resume, vita, or list of the nominee's accomplishments must be received by the Honorary Degree Committee by the end of the ninth week of fall semester. 
Approval
Process
Step Process Description
1.
 The Honorary Degree Committee recommends no more than four unranked nominees to the president by the end of fall semester.

Note:
The committee at its discretion may choose to forward no names to the president.
2.
 The president need not forward any names; however, he or she may forward as many as two names to the chancellor, from those submitted by the committee.
3.
 If recommended by the chancellor, the names are forwarded by the chancellor to the Board of Regents for approval.

Note:
Normally, a period of at least 90 days should be allowed for chancellor and Board of Regents’ approval; thus, the president should forward recommendations to the chancellor no later than January 15 for award at spring commencement.
4.
 Following the Board of Regents’ action, the president notifies the Honorary Degree Committee and, if the recommendation was approved, informs the degree recipient.  The president also notifies the Registrar’s Office about the recipient and the exact title of the honorary degree.
Confidentiality Committee members should not discuss the names of nominees for honorary degrees with the university community or with any other people. This prohibition includes names of individuals nominated from the community as well as those recommended by the committee.