Policy Statement
Schools and colleges may be interested in conferring posthumously a degree to a student who is near completion of their degree so as to recognize the academic achievement of that student who, in all likelihood, would have fulfilled the requirements of the degree. In all such cases, conferral of a degree must also be balanced with attention to academic and institutional integrity.
Criteria
Decisions on awarding of posthumous degrees will be made using the following criteria:
- For award of a posthumous baccalaureate degree in memoriam:
- The student was a senior.
- The student was enrolled in a degree program at the time of death and was in good academic standing.
- For award of a posthumous graduate degree in memoriam:
- For graduate degrees not requiring a research product, the student was enrolled in courses that would have completed the degree requirements at the time of death, and they would have passed the courses with an acceptable grade.
- For graduate degrees requiring a research product, the student had completed all course and other requirements pursuant to the degree and was near completion of their dissertation/thesis; and the student’s committee determines their scholarship to be substantial work and worthy of the degree.
- For award of a posthumous commendation in memoriam:
- A continuously enrolled student who dies before meeting the criteria listed above may be nominated for a posthumous commendation. Such a nomination would be appropriate for a student who has made substantial progress toward a degree or has achieved particular distinction during their tenure at the university.