Content
Honorary Awards Procedures
Parent policy: Honorary Awards – Governing Policy
Approval authority: Vice-Chancellor and President
Responsible officer: Vice-Chancellor and President
Designated officer: Vice-Chancellor and President
Date of approval: 25 August 2008
Date last amended: 24 March 2011
Effective starting date: 25 August 2008
Any procedures replaced by these procedures: Procedures relating to the former Honorary Awards Policy
Procedures
1. Honorary Doctorate
The Honorary Doctorate is the highest recognition the University can bestow.
Nominees for the award of Honorary Doctorate should have achieved excellence in one or more significant areas of human endeavour, such as:
- scholarship or creative activity
- professional achievement
- the arts and sport
- business and industry
- public service to the world, the Nation, the State or the community
- any calling or occupation, which contributes to the development of society and serves as a model for present and future generations.
For the purposes of these procedures, achievement of excellence in a field of endeavour may be evidenced by a combination of the following:
- distinguished reputation
- extraordinary contribution or provision of services
- outstanding achievement
- exemplary leadership
- academic eminence.
Where a candidate has an established relationship with the University, the award of Doctor of the University will usually be made.
2. Honorary Senior Fellow
Nominees for the award of Honorary Senior Fellow should have made a significant and sustained contribution to the development of the University or of the Sunshine Coast region. All nominees should have significant ties with the Sunshine Coast region through birth, residence, education, service or advancing significant regional causes.
Candidates should reflect, in their achievements, the regional aspirations and values of the University of the Sunshine Coast, such as:
- enhancing the identity and advancement of the Sunshine Coast as a region;
- serving the Sunshine Coast community in ways that enhance regional quality of life or regional effectiveness;
- fostering links between the University and the Sunshine Coast community;
- promoting the overall purposes and international linkages of the University.
3. Emeritus Professor
The title Emeritus Professor may be conferred upon a person who has occupied the position of Professor at the University of the Sunshine Coast and who has rendered sustained and distinguished service to the University This service may, through leadership or personal performance, have added to the reputation of the University in one or more of the following areas:
- research
- scholarship
- teaching
- academic innovation
- management
- community service.
The length of service as a professor at the University of the Sunshine Coast should normally be a minimum of five (5) years.
The title is normally awarded on retirement, but may be conferred on resignation, especially where a senior appointment is being taken up in the public or private sectors.
An Emeritus Professor will, as a matter of courtesy and on ceremonial occasions, be regarded as a professor of the University, but will not be automatically entitled to any remuneration from the University as a result of this award, nor will they be automatically entitled to membership of any University committee.
4. Nominations for the Award of Honorary Doctorate or Honorary Senior Fellow
The Vice-Chancellor and President will call confidentially for nominations from the University Council, all staff, and alumni of the University.
The Honorary Awards Committee will meet as early as necessary and whenever necessary throughout the year to consider those nominations that have been forwarded to it by the Vice-Chancellor and President.
A nomination directed to the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and President should outline the specific contributions of the nominee for an award and why they warrant the University awarding this accolade for exceptional achievement. The appropriate template should be completed. Relevant biographical information about the nominee should be included if possible, together with a Statement of Support for the nomination from at least two (2) other members of the University Council, staff, or alumni.The nominee must not be approached personally.
If a nomination is received from a member of the external community, the nominator will be asked to complete the relevant template and provide Statements of Support. In such cases at least one Statement of Support must be completed by a member of the University community. The requirement for confidentiality will apply.
The Committee will consider all nominations made to it and may seek further information about a nominee as necessary. In its deliberations the Committee will take the requirements of the Honorary Awards Policy into account.
All the information, including the names of those nominated must be regarded with the strictest confidence and only the Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor and President will be allowed to speak publicly on behalf of the Committee.
In its initial and ongoing deliberations on worthy recipients for awards, the Committee will draw up a list of potential awardees it wishes to recommend to Council. Council will consider that list and approve all or some of the recommendations which will remain active for up to five (5) years, during which time any person on the list as approved may be approached by the Vice-Chancellor and President to accept an award.
The Committee will discuss the awards for particular categories each year and will recommend to Council the names and number of recipients. The Committee may recommend that awards should be withheld in a particular category in any year.
In the case where a person declines an offer to accept an honorary award, their name will be removed from the list.
At the end of five years, a recommendation to make an honorary award to a given individual may be renewed.
The award of Honorary Doctor or Honorary Senior Fellow will normally be made at a Graduation Ceremony. Where an approved nominee cannot be physically present at the Graduation Ceremony for which the award was offered, the award might be made through the use of electronic media. Alternatively, the recommendation may be reactivated for a future year.
5. Nominations for the Award of the Title Emeritus Professor
On the retirement or resignation of a Professor of the University, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor or nominee may recommend to the Honorary Awards Committee that the title Emeritus Professor be conferred to recognise the professor’s distinguished service to the University.
The Director, Human Resources will advise the Deputy Vice-Chancellor when notice of retirement of a professor has been given, or upon the resignation of a professor. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor may request Human Resources to provide a statement of service of the professor.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor or nominee will make an initial assessment of the professor’s eligibility for the award of the title Emeritus Professor. If the professor is considered to be eligible for the award, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor or nominee will seek and obtain the support of three other professors of the University for the award.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor or nominee will prepare a submission in support of the nomination for consideration by the Honorary Awards Committee of Council. The submission will include:
- a completed template for proposals for the award of the title Emeritus Professor
- the statements of support for the nomination from the three other professors of the University; and
- a brief, up-to-date curriculum vitae of the candidate.
Without limiting the matters to be taken into consideration by the Honorary Awards Committee, some weight should be attached to the following, though no particular factor is essential, and the relative weight given to each will be a matter of judgement by the Committee in the light of the circumstances of each particular case:
- the professor’s achievements in those areas of research, scholarship, teaching, leadership, management, academic innovation, community service and/or service to the profession or discipline that are or have been particularly pertinent to his or her responsibilities as a professor
- the professor’s standing and reputation in any of the above within the Australian and/or international higher education communities, and/or professional bodies
- the professor’s contribution to University life in general
- the professor’s contribution to national public life.
The Committee may seek any additional information as necessary.
Where the Committee supports the award of the title Emeritus Professor, the Chairperson will make the appropriate recommendation to Council.
The award of the title Emeritus Professor may be made at a time other than Graduation at the discretion of Council.
6. Disclosure of outcomes
After confirmation by the successful nominees of their acceptance, a judgement will be made by the Vice-Chancellor and President, on advice from the Committee where appropriate, about the timing of the disclosure of the outcomes.
7. Testamurs
The wording for testamurs for Honorary Award recipients is detailed in the Appendix to these Procedures.
To request nomination and related forms for USC Honorary Awards, please email HonoraryAwards@usc.edu.au.
Appendix
WORDING FOR TESTAMURS
[HONORARY DOCTOR]
In recognition of [her/his] contribution to
[the relevant area of human endeavour]
the Honorary Degree of
[Doctor of the University
or Doctor of Fine Arts/Letters etc]
is hereby awarded to
xxx name xxx
Given under the Seal of the
University of the Sunshine Coast
on the xx day of xxx 20xx
By the authority of the University Council
[HONORARY SENIOR FELLOW]
In recognition of [her/his] contribution to
the University of the Sunshine Coast
[or to the development of the region, possibly in a specific area]
the Honorary Award of
Senior Fellow of the University
is hereby awarded to
xxx name xxx
Given under the Seal of the
University of the Sunshine Coast
on the xx day of xxx 20xx
By the authority of the University Council
[EMERITUS PROFESSOR]
In recognition of [her/his] distinguished service to the University of the Sunshine Coast
the Honorary Award of the Title of
Emeritus Professor
is hereby awarded to
xxx name xxx
Given under the Seal of the
University of the Sunshine Coast
on the xx day of xxx 20xx
By the authority of the University Council
To request nomination and related forms for USC Honorary Awards, please email HonoraryAwards@usc.edu.au.
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