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Academics & Research – Academics & Instruction
| EWU Policy 303-04 | Authority: EWU Board of Trustees |
| Effective March 23, 2012 | Proponent: Vice President – Academic Affairs |
Summary: This policy establishes criteria and procedures for selection and awarding honorary degrees.
History: This policy was revised on March 23, 2012 to include honorary doctorate degrees and to update award procedures. It was originally approved by the Graduate Affairs Council on May 29, 2002 and adopted by the Board of Trustees on June 21, 2002. It includes housekeeping changes of August 3, 2011.
I. Purpose and Nature
1. Eastern Washington University is authorized to confer honorary degrees pursuant to RCW 28B.35.205. Honorary degrees provide Eastern Washington University with an established avenue for recognizing distinguished individuals who have made significant contributions to the University over an extended period of time through their devotion to education, literature, art or science; or whose outstanding personal or professional achievements and attainments exemplify the role and mission of the University.
2. Degrees, which may be earned in regular course at Eastern Washington University, shall not be awarded as Honorary Degrees.
4. The degrees awarded shall be appropriate to the achievement or attainment being recognized. Available degree titles are:
a. Master of Creative Expression (CEM)
b. Master of Entrepreneurship (EM)
c. Master of Human Services (HSM)
d. Master of Public Service (PSM)
e. Master of Regional Development (RDM)
f. Master of Technological Innovation (TIM)
g. Master of Human Learning (HLM)
h. Master of International Cooperation (ICM)
i. Master of Humane Letters (LHM)
j. Master of Causae Societas (CSM)
k. Doctor of Arts (D.A.)
l. Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
m. Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
n. Doctor of Science (Sc.D.)
Other degrees may be added to this list after receiving approval of the degree from the Graduate Affairs Council and final approval by the university president.
4. No degree may be conferred in consideration of the payment of money or the donation of any kind of property.
II. Criteria to be Considered
Nominees should meet one or more of the following criteria:
1. Have been a student or be a graduate of the University, or be or have been closely associated with it (faculty, administration, trustee, employee, or donor).
2. Have made significant contributions to the University over an extended period of time or must have outstanding personal or professional achievements and attainments that exemplify the role and mission of the University.
3. Be identifiable with the University by virtue of professional work in a discipline or program offered at Eastern Washington University.
4. Be an individual who has merited recognition as an outstanding supporter of higher education in general and/or Eastern Washington University in particular.
5. Be an individual whose national or international reputation merits the awarding of an honorary degree from Eastern Washington University.
III. Nomination
Any member of the university community may nominate an individual for an honorary degree. Nominations must be submitted to the University President’s Office.
At a minimum, a letter of nomination should include biographical information and a detailed description of accomplishments which demonstrate how the candidate meets the honorary degree criteria in Section II.
IV. Review Process
Nominations endorsed by the university president shall be forwarded to the Academic Senate Executive Committee for further consideration.
If the Academic Senate Executive Committee approves of a nomination, they shall forward the nomination and their endorsement to the Board of Trustees, through the Academic Affairs Committee.
If a nomination is not supported by either the university president or the Academic Senate Executive Committee, the process stops.
V. Confidentiality
Every effort will be made to ensure that individual nominations and related discussions remain confidential. No publicity shall be issued regarding a nomination until final approval by the Board of Trustees.
VI. Notification & Presentation
Nominations approved by the Board of Trustees shall be forwarded to the president’s office for action. The University President / designee will be responsible for:
a. recipient notification,
b. presentation ceremony coordination, and,
c. publicity announcement actions.
