2.05 Honorary Degrees - Selection of Recipients
Purpose and Nature of the Honorary Degree Program
1. The University of Northern Iowa may award honorary degrees sparingly
to selected individuals in order to recognize outstanding achievements
and attainments which exemplify the goals and ideals of the university.
2. The degrees awarded shall normally be Doctor of Laws (L.L.D.), Doctor
of Humane Letters (L.H.D.), Doctor of Literature (LITT.D.), and Doctor
of Science (Sc.D.) and shall be as appropriate as possible for the achievement
or attainment being recognized.
3. Degrees which may be earned in regular course at the University of
Northern Iowa, University of Iowa, or Iowa State University shall not
be awarded as honorary degrees. Criteria to be Considered in
Selecting Recipients
1. Financial and political consideration should not be involved. Holders
of elective or appointive public office at the time of nomination ordinarily
should not be considered.
2. Significant connections with the University or Northern Iowa or with
the State of Iowa may be important considerations, but recipients shall
not be limited to such. Faculty or staff members of the University of
Northern Iowa are not eligible. Former faculty or staff members would
be selected only in unusual cases.
3. Accomplishments meriting recognition should not be too far in the
past.
4. Although recipients with nationwide and worldwide recognition would
not be excluded, preference should be given to those otherwise qualified
candidates who have not been widely recognized and decorated.
Committee on Honorary Degrees
1. A standing committee shall be responsible for supervising the elicitation
of suggestions and nominations and for making recommendations to the President
of the University.
2. The committee shall be composed of seven members. These shall be
one member of the faculty or each of the five colleges (excluding the
Graduate College) to be selected as each college determines, Vice-President
and Provost or his designee, Assistant to the President for State Relations
and Special Events or his designee, and the Dean of the Graduate College.
3. The Dean of the Graduate College shall serve as chairman.
4. The selected members shall serve terms of four years beginning July
1 with one member being selected each year. (When the committee is first
set up, dates of termination shall be determined by lot.) Procedures
for Selection
1. Procedures should include provisions for:
a. Securing suggestions and nominations for recipients;
b. Processing nominations;
c. Arriving at recommendations.
2. Recommendations of the committee should be forwarded to the President.
3. It is expected that the President will request University Faculty
Senate review and he shall make the final decision as to whether a recommendation
is to be forwarded to the Board of Regents.
4. All invitations should be extended by the President.
5. Additional procedures and details necessary for implementation shall
be determined by the committee. Awarding of Degrees
1. Honorary degrees shall be awarded only at the spring commencement.
2. The Committee on Honorary Degrees shall be responsible for the preparation
of an appropriate citation.
3. An honorary degree shall be conferred only if the recipient is present
in person.
4. It is not expected that honorary degrees will be awarded every year.
(Instead, it should not be unusual for an honorary degree to be awarded
only once in four or five years.)
University Faculty Senate Approved, 5/15/74
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