Policies and Procedures for Awarding PSU Honorary Degrees

Portland State University awards honorary degrees to acknowledge individuals who have achieved outstanding scholarship or artistic accomplishments or performed distinguished public service during their lifetime. Nominees should be distinguished educators, scholars, scientists, business and community leaders, creative artists, reformers, humanitarians, public servants, or philanthropists whose accomplishments are recognized as "making a difference" to society, regionally, nationally or internationally. Their recognition is intended to honor them as individuals and also to contribute to the stature and visibility of Portland State University. Political incumbents and current employees, and students of Portland State are not generally considered for the award of an honorary degree. (Questions about other forms of recognition for these individuals may be directed to the President's Office.)

Procedures

Any member of the PSU community may nominate a person for an honorary degree.

The President appoints an Honorary Degree Committee to solicit and review nominations. This committee shall include the following members: Provost, Vice President for University Relations, Presiding Officer of the Faculty Senate, two additional faculty members from academic units, an alumnus, the President of the Associated Students of Portland State University, and a member of the Council of Academic Deans.

The Committee shall screen all nominations, ask for more information, if needed, about the nominee, and investigate to their satisfaction that the nominee meets the criteria given above. The committee shall make a documented recommendation to the President. The Committee shall be limited to no more than two nominees per year going forward for final consideration by the President, except in exceptional circumstances.

Positive recommendations forwarded by the Committee and approved by the President shall be forwarded to the Oregon State Board of Higher Education. Names and supporting documentation of successful candidates must be forwarded to the State Board of Higher Education at least 90 days prior to the awarding of the degree.

When the State Board of Higher Education has approved the name(s) submitted for this honor, the President of the University shall formally notify the candidates and invite them to take part in the award ceremony.

Timing

The President will appoint the Honorary Degree Committee who will then initiate solicitation of nominations by October 1.
Campus nominations should be received in the President's office by the end of October. Packets should include a nomination form (see below), letter of nomination, three letters of support, and a current curriculum vitae.
Committee-approved nominations should be forwarded to the President by the end of December.
The honorary degree is generally awarded at Spring Commencement.

The campus timing procedures listed above may be waived by the President in exceptional circumstances in which the University may decide to honor an individual on short notice or outside the normal time cycle of review.