Honorary Degrees Committee

PURPOSE:

To recommend to the Board of Trustees (through the President of the University) the names of individuals deemed worthy by the BGSU faculty of receiving BGSU honorary degrees; to nominate to the Board of Trustees (through the Vice President for Academic Affairs) faculty members deemed worthy of emeritus status.

FUNCTIONS:

1. Receive and review, during the academic year, confidential suggestions and information from the committee and other BGSU faculty regarding individuals to be considered for honorary degrees;
2. Choose, on the basis of merit and distinguished contributions, persons whose names may appropriately be submitted to the faculty as potential candidates for honorary degrees (contributions are considered in three categories: those of a national or international level, those on a regional or local level, and those to the University);
3. Conduct, during the academic year, at the beginning of a Faculty Senate meeting, with the aid of the faculty secretary of the Senate, a confidential poll of senators having faculty status. After the meeting the faculty secretary and the chair of the committee will tally the votes and the secretary will certify in writing to the chair of the committee whether or not the candidate(s) received a majority approval.
4. Certify to the Board of Trustees through the President of the University the names of individual candidates approved by a majority of those faculty senators voting in the Senate at the time when the poll is taken;
5. Nominate to the Board of Trustees through the Vice President for Academic Affairs persons deemed worthy of emeritus status in accordance with the Board of Trustees policy statements of July 22, 1965;
6. Advise the President of the University on the naming or re-naming of University facilities.

MEMBERSHIP:

• Three elected faculty members, one of whom is a member of Faculty Senate;
• One additional faculty member in first four years, appointed by the Committee on Committees for a one-year term.

EX OFFICIO:

• An administrator appointed by the President.

CHAIR:

PROCEDURES:

Nominations for honorary degrees submitted by a member of the committee on behalf of the President may, with majority approval of the committee and a majority vote of the faculty members of the Senate Executive Committee, proceed directly to the Board of Trustees. Such nominations by the President are limited to three per calendar year.

The law of Ohio supports the purpose of this committee: "On the recommendation of the faculty, the Board of Trustees may confer such honorary degrees as are customarily conferred by colleges of liberal arts in the United States." (Section 7924-2, General Code, as amended May 15-17, 1935 of Section 3341.05 Ohio Revised Code.)

BALANCE OF REPRESENTATION:

The three elected faculty members must be eligible for election to Faculty Senate (Academic Charter, Article V.B).

VOTING RIGHTS:

All elected, appointed and ex officio members have full voting rights. Consultants are non-voting members. (Academic Charter, Article V.B)

2024-2025 Committee Members