Honorary Degree Committee

Members

MEMBERS Term(s) of Service
Ben Vinson IIIchair 
Provost & Executive Vice President
ex officio
Tracey Bonfield, School of Medicine 2020-2023
Jagdip Singh, Weatherhead School of Management 2020-2023
Patrick Kennedy, Physical Education and Athletics 2021-2024; 2020-2021
John Lewandowski, Case School of Engineering 2021-2024; 2020-2021
Cynthia Beall, College of Arts and Sciences 2021-2024
Ann Nguyen, Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences 2020-2023
Diana Morris, France Payne Bolton School of Nursing 2020-2022
Suchitra Nelson, School of Dental Medicine 2020-2022
Michael Scharf, School of Law 2020-2022
ex officio  
James McGuffin-Cawley
University Marshal
 

Donald Feke, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Academic and Faculty Affairs
Charles Rozek, Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Academic and Faculty Affairs

 

Charge

From the Faculty Handbook, Chapter 3

X. Guidelines for Awarding Honorary Degrees*

An honorary degree is a means of recognizing excellence in any valued aspect of human endeavor, including the realm of scholarship, public service, and the performing arts. The conferring of an honorary degree is the University's way of recognizing those persons who have exemplified in their work the highest ideals and standards. By awarding such degrees to persons outside the University, an interest in and connection with the larger community is maintained.

Nominations are to be submitted to a faculty committee, appointed by the President after consultation with the Nominating Committee of the Faculty Senate. The faculty committee, chaired by the Provost of the University, will have representation from each constituent faculty. Between five and ten nominations will have representation from each constituent faculty. Between five and ten nominations will be recommended by the faculty committee to the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate. Those approved by the Executive Committee, acting for the University Faculty, will be transmitted to the President for submission to the Board of Trustees. The candidates approved by the Board of Trustees will be invited by the President to come to Case Western Reserve University to receive an honorary degree.

The faculty committee will begin its work early and will be ready to receive nominations from individuals by October 1. The recommendations will be submitted to the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate no later than November 20.

A nomination should include a brief statement detailing accomplishments of the candidate that are especially worthy of recognition, and giving reasons why the University should confer the degree.

Although not always possible, if the Commencement Speaker is to be awarded an honorary degree, it is hoped that selection of the speaker will occur early enough to allow the process to proceed on schedule.

Restrictions include:

A. An honorary degree will not be conferred on a person who is currently a member of the faculty, the staff, or the Board of Trustees.

B. An honorary degree will be awarded only at the Commencement or other major University convocation.

C. The number of honorary degrees awarded on any one occasion will be limited to no more than six.

*approved by the Board of Trustees 8/10/88.