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Honorary Awards and Titles Policy

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Section 1 - Policy Statement

Part A - Policy Declaration

(1) Under section 6(2)(e) of the Southern Cross University Act 1993, the University may confer the degrees of Bachelor, Master and Doctor and award diplomas and certificates and other awards. Authority is given to the Council in section 16(1)(A) to confer these degrees and awards as it thinks fit. Accordingly, the Council may confer honorary degrees, fellowships and titles. This policy document covers the conferral of all honorary awards and titles of the University.

Part B - Policy Description

Objectives

(2) The conferral of an honorary degree, fellowship or title is intended to acknowledge a distinguished contribution made to teaching, research, the pursuit of learning or the arts, or service to the community or society (including service to the University).

Scope

(3) Any persons, including former University staff members, may be eligible for an honorary award, as detailed in this policy, subject to satisfying the appropriate criterion and being approved by Council on the recommendation of the Honorary Awards Committee.

(4) Members of the University Council or members of staff of the University shall not normally be eligible for any of these awards while in office.

Part C - Content and Implementation

(5) There shall be five classes of honorary awards:

  1. Doctor of the University (DUniv) (honoris causa);
  2. Doctor of Letters (DLitt) (honoris causa);
  3. Doctor of Laws (LLD) (honoris causa);
  4. Doctor of Technology (DTech) (honoris causa);
  5. Fellow of the University.

(6) There shall be one class of honorary title:

  1. Emeritus Professor.

(7) A nomination may be made by any two of the following persons:

  1. a member of the Council of the University;
  2. a Professor of the University, or
  3. a member of the University Executive.

(8) The Vice Chancellor may nominate a person for an honorary award direct to the Honorary Awards Committee.

(9) The Honorary Awards Committee itself may nominate a candidate for an Award.

(10) The Nominee should be in one of the following categories:

  1. High achievers in Business, the Arts, Education etc. who have their childhood roots in the region;
  2. People of standing who have moved into the region and are still active in their field or the community generally;
  3. Those, such as some Council members, who have served the University with special distinction over a significant period;
  4. Those whose philanthropy or support have enabled the University to enhance its performance or reputation;
  5. Those who have contributed in a major way to the intellectual development of the region;
  6. People of national or international standing whose contribution to the community is considered exceptional.

(11) Nominations shall be considered by the Honorary Awards Committee, which shall normally meet twice a year (in June and November). A nomination shall be accompanied by a detailed submission, identifying the reasons for the appropriateness of the honorary award or title.

(12) The Chancellor shall submit any recommendations of the Honorary Awards Committee to the Council for its consideration.

Doctor of the University (DUniv) (honoris causa)

(13) The Council may honour any person who has in its opinion made a distinguished contribution to the community, which may include service to the University, by conferring upon that person the award of Doctor of the University (honoris causa). The award shall be prestigious and not earned easily.

(14) The award shall be conferred at a graduation or similar ceremonial occasion, at which the recipient may be invited to deliver the occasional address. The recipient shall be accorded appropriate courtesies and recognition on ceremonial and social occasions. The award does not entitle the recipient to participate in the governance of the University, nor to be granted any material benefits by the University.

Doctor of Letters (DLitt) (honoris causa)

Doctor of Laws (LLD) (honoris causa)

Doctor of Technology (DTech) (honoris causa)

(15) The Council may honour any person who has in its opinion made a distinguished contribution to teaching, research, scholarship, the pursuit of learning or the arts, or who has rendered distinguished service to society or to the University, by conferring upon that person the award of Doctor of Letters (DLitt) honoris causa, or Doctor of Laws (LLD) honoris causa or Doctor of Technology (DTech) honoris causa. The award shall be prestigious and not earned easily. The Honorary Awards Committee shall require the criterion of a distinguished contribution in the relevant field of achievement to be satisfied before recommending a candidate for the award.

(16) The award shall be conferred at a graduation or similar ceremonial occasion at which the recipient may be invited to deliver the occasional address. The recipient shall be accorded appropriate courtesies and recognition on ceremonial and social occasions. The award does not entitle the recipient to participate in the governance of the University, nor to be granted any material benefits by the University.

Fellow of the University

(17) The Council may honour any person who has, in its opinion, made a distinguished contribution, in a capacity other than as a staff member, to the teaching, research or community service roles of the University, by conferring upon that person the honorary award of Fellow of the University. The award shall be prestigious and not earned easily. The Honorary Awards Committee shall require the criterion of a distinguished contribution to the teaching, research or community service roles of the University, in a capacity other than as a staff member, to be satisfied before recommending a candidate for the award.

(18) The award shall be conferred at a graduation or similar ceremonial occasion at which the recipient may be invited to deliver the occasional address. The recipient shall be accorded appropriate courtesies and recognition on ceremonial and social occasions. The award does not entitle the recipient to participate in the governance of the University, nor to be granted any material benefits by the University.

Emeritus Professor

(19) The Council may honour any former Professor of the University who has in its opinion made a distinguished contribution to teaching, research, scholarship, the arts, or service to the University by conferring upon that person the title of Emeritus Professor. The nominating submission shall include the candidate's up-to-date curriculum vitae.

(20) The Honorary Awards Committee shall normally require the criterion of a distinguished contribution over a period of at least ten years (five years of which had been served at Southern Cross University) by a former Professor of the University to be satisfied before recommending a candidate for the award.

(21) The honorary title of Emeritus Professor shall not normally be awarded until after the date of resignation or retirement from the University. The award may be considered prior to this date and be awarded upon retirement or resignation from the University. The recipient shall be accorded appropriate courtesies and recognition on ceremonial and social occasions. The award does not entitle the recipient to participate in the governance of the University. Emeritus Professors may be entitled to some material benefits at the discretion of the Vice Chancellor.

(22) Other than for the award of Emeritus Professor, the conferring of an honorary award does not carry an entitlement to a pre-nominal title and may only be used for official University business and/or events.

(23) The title of Honorary Doctor is abbreviated to Hon. DUniv (Southern Cross University) and the title of Honorary Fellow is abbreviated to Hon. Fellow of Southern Cross University.