Governing Documents: University Community
POLICY:
RECOMMENDING CANDIDATES FOR HONORARY DEGREES
Effective Date:
October 4, 1975
Revised Date:
May 13, 1998, December 7, 2011
Review Date:
 
Approving Body:
Senate
Authority:
 
Implementation:
 
Contact:
University Secretary
Applies to:
All Staff

General

Senate establishes and maintains a reserve list of approved candidates for honorary degrees to be awarded as the occasion demands. The President selects from this list the candidate(s) for each regular convocation.

  1. At least one honorary degree shall be conferred at each session of Convocation.
  2. Additional Honorary Degrees may be awarded if it is deemed appropriate to do so for particular reasons. 
  3. The President assigns hosts to those who are to receive honorary degrees.
  4. The University normally shall not offer an honorary degree to anyone who is not in a position to accept the degree in person. An honorary degree may be conferred in absentia for cause.
  5. The University normally shall not offer an honorary degree to any individual currently holding elected office at any level of Canadian government.
  6. Members of the Board of Governors, the Senate, or other members of the staff of the University of Manitoba are not eligible to receive an honorary degree.
  7. Members of the Board of Governors, Senate and the University Community are solicited at least once a year for nominations. In addition, the Committee may consider nominations received from members of constituencies outside the University.

    Types of Degree

    The University may confer the following degrees upon persons whose qualifications and record are approved for that purpose:

    1. Doctor of Laws (honoris causa) LL.D.
    2. Doctor of Letters (honoris causa) D.Litt.
    3. Doctor of Science (honoris causa) D.Sc.
Criteria

Honorary degrees are awarded on the basis of the following criteria:
  1. Distinguished achievement in scholarship, the arts, or public service. Distinguished achievement is achievement widely recognized by fellow workers or the public.
  2. Both the recipient and the University should be honoured in the granting of a degree honoris causa.

Guidelines for Nominations

The following information shall be provided when recommending candidates for an honorary degree:

  1. Name of candidate
  2. Address and telephone
  3. Degree(s) held, if any, and the University awarding the degree(s)
  4. Curriculum vitae containing such details as:

    a) Place of birth

    b) Education

    c) Field of endeavour

    d) A short description of publications, if any

    e) Special awards

    f) Distinguished service

  5. Contribution of special accomplishments on which the recommendation is made
  6. Other information which the nominator feels may be pertinent
  7. Three letters in support of the nomination
  8. Degree recommended (LL.D., D.Litt., D.Sc.)
Recommendations for honorary degrees are to be submitted to: The University Secretary, Office of the University Secretary, Room 312 Administration Building.

Procedures for Electing Candidates for Honorary Degrees
  1. Elections shall be held at a regular or special meeting of Senate for which due notice has been given.
  2. The report of the Honorary Degrees Committee shall be given in closed session at a time on the agenda to be recommended by the Senate Executive Committee.
  3. The report shall be distributed at the beginning of the closed session. However, documentation on candidates for honorary degrees shall be available in the University Secretariat for examination by members of Senate on a confidential basis on the day prior to the meeting of Senate at which it is to be presented. Notice of this shall be included in the Senate agenda.
  4. There is no limitation on the number of candidates that can be elected.
  5. Voting shall be by secret ballot. Only candidates receiving a two-thirds majority of the number of members of Senate present and voting are placed on the approved list. Following completion of the balloting, materials submitted on behalf of the candidate(s) shall be collected and returned to the University Secretary.
  6. Results of the election are confidential. Minutes of the closed section are not included in the circulated minutes. They appear in the original minutes which are available for inspection in the University Secretariat by members of Senate.
  7. Candidates who have not received an Honorary Degree within ten (10) years of their approval will be removed from the approved list unless the Senate Committee on Honorary Degrees deems it appropriate to retain their name.