BOR106_Honorary Degree Policy

By


POLICY NAME POLICY NO. APPROVING BODY RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT
Honorary Degree Policy BOR106 Board of Regents Board of Regents
EFFECTIVE DATE VERSION NO. REVISION/REVIEW DATE DOWNLOAD PDF
10-MAY-2001 01 01-JUL-2024 BOR106_Honorary Degree Policy PDF

PURPOSE:
The purpose of WNMU’s honorary degree policy is to establish transparent criteria and procedures for the selection and awarding of honorary degrees to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding contributions to their field. Ref: Chapter II.9 in the Board of Regents Manual.

POLICY:
Western New Mexico University (WNMU) awards honorary degrees of Doctorate of Laws, Doctorate of Humane Letters, and Doctorate of Arts to distinguished individuals who merit special recognition for contributions of exceptional substance to Western New Mexico University or who have significantly enriched the educational, cultural, scientific, or intellectual life of the region, state, or nation.

When WNMU honors individuals with honorary degrees, it furthers WNMU mission, vision, and strategic plan by developing long-term relationships with our accomplished honorees as they become part of the WNMU community.

An honorary degree may be awarded through the following two procedures.

PROCEDURE A:

  1. Nominations may be submitted by anyone, including outside sources to WNMU with a deadline of November 1 for the fall presentation or April 1 for the spring or summer presentation.
  2. The Office of the President will receive all submittals comprehensive vita will be prepared for each potential candidate.
  3. Potential honorary degree recipients will be reviewed by an Honorary Degree Committee composed of:
    1. One (1) or two (2) Regents (one of whom will serve as Chair);
    2. One (1) faculty member elected from each of five (5) departments designated by the Vice President of Academic Affairs for an academic year so that departments are rotated annually on this committee;
    3. One (1) student and one (1) Western alumnus, appointed by the Chairperson of the Board of Regents.
  4. All deliberations of The Honorary Degree Committee will be confidential.
  5. Recommendations of the Committee will be provided in writing to the WNMU President who will take the Committee’s and their recommendations to the Board of Regents for the final decision.

PROCEDURE B:

Board of Regents members may nominate an individual for an honorary degree during an open session of any meeting of the Board of Regents, provided appropriate notice is stated in the agenda.  Nominations made directly by a Board of Regents member during an open session of any meeting of the Board of Regents will be considered by the Board of Regents without a requirement for comprehensive vita. The preparation of a comprehensive vita prior to final action by the Board of Regents is still recommended.

A majority of a quorum of the Board of Regents may vote in open session to:

  1. Approve the award of an honorary degree;
  2. Send the matter to the Honorary Degree Committee for further review after Preparation of a comprehensive vita; or
  3. Deny the award of an honorary degree.

GENERAL PROVISIONS
All actions by the Board of Regents will be reviewed and approved during open session of the Board of Regents. Upon final action by the Board of Regents to award an honorary degree, a biographical summary will be developed and will become an integral part of the presentation ceremony. Honorary Degrees may be presented only at Commencement or other official or formal convocations of WNMU.