NB: The term ‘Honorary Degree Committee’ or ‘Committee’ is used to represent the Special Appointments Committee augmented by one Board member per Senate By-law 3, 1.2.3.3.5
If you are nominating someone please do not inform them of your nomination!
Criteria
An honorary degree is intended to recognize exemplary individuals who have achieved exceptional levels in their profession or who have made outstanding contributions to culture and society in Canada or elsewhere in the world. Candidates must demonstrate local, national or international excellence and have a proven distinction in their field. They should provide inspiration and leadership to students, the university community and or the community at large. Consideration will be given to candidates who exemplify the University’s core values and mission. Successful candidates will possess qualities to which our students will aspire.
Guidelines
- The Honorary Degree Committee is not bound to identify an honoree for each convocation. It is important that high standards are maintained to ensure the quality of an honorary degree from the University of Windsor. Therefore, the Honorary Degree Committee may only identify 2 or 3 honorary degrees in a given year, generally one in the Fall and two in the Spring.
- In a given year, there will be at least one recipient from each gender.
- Special efforts will be made to identify members of equity seeking groups.
- Over time, there will be an effort towards some balance across the academic and professional disciplines at the University.
Restrictions
- posthumously
- in absentia
- to active politicians
- to current members of its own faculty, staff or Board of Governors
Process
a) The Committee will call for nominations annually in September (Example: Daily News, E-mail to all Faculty, an agenda Item on various University Committee’s, email to student presidents) of each year for all Convocations during the following year. Only nominations that are completed on the official form, with the required supporting documentation will be accepted by the Committee. The Nomination form, criteria and historical information are available at http://www.uwindsor.ca/secretariat/31/honorary-degrees. Nominations must be completed by September 30th. Nominees should not be informed of their nomination. This protects the individual and the University from embarrassment if the nomination is not accepted.
b) The Committee will normally meet in October of each year to consider nominations. Committee members may make nominations from the floor but only if they are supported by the information required on the nomination form (see nomination form). The Committee may meet on several occasions during October but must normally complete its work by November.
c) As much as possible, the Honorary Degree and Senate Governance Committees will operate by consensus. Nominations will normally require the unanimous consent (no dissenters) of the Honorary Degree Committee before they can be taken to the Senate Governance Committee for approval.
d) The Honorary Degree and Senate Governance Committees may approve one or more alternate candidates in a given year (in case one or more of the nominees declines the nomination or is unable to attend an appropriate Convocation).
e) The President will contact nominees each year and is empowered to contact alternate nominees in the order specified by the Senate Governance Committee if one or more nominees on the primary list decline or are unable to attend an appropriate Convocation.
f) There will not normally be carry over from one year to the next. Except in cases where there are approved recipients or alternates not used from the approved Senate Governance Committee list. In this case, these names will be forwarded to the committee for the following year. The committee will be notified as to their origin.