Honorary Awards

Procedures for Honorary Awards

Nominations for honorary awards
Consideration of nominations
Conferring of honorary awards

1. Nominations

1.1 Those eligible to submit nominations for honorary awards

Fellows and former Fellows of Senate
The graduates and students of the University
The full-time members of the academic and general staff of the University and such other members or classes of members of the staff of the University as the by-laws may prescribe
Such graduates of other universities, or other persons, as are, in accordance with the by-laws, admitted as members of Convocation
Principals of the incorporated colleges
Persons declared by the by-laws to be superior officers of the University
Persons who possess qualifications that are recognised by the by-laws as being of the same rank as the degree of Bachelor

1.2 Criteria for honorary degrees

academic eminence,
distinguished creative achievement or
an outstanding contribution beyond the expectations of the person’s particular field of endeavour which has influenced the thinking or general well-being of the wider community.

1.3 Criteria for honorary fellows

Conspicuous continued involvement in one of the following:

support of the interests and welfare of the University of Sydney or of a particular part of the University’s activities
promotion of the academic purposes of the University or of facilitating those purposes in any particular activity of the University
fostering the links between the University and other institutions within and without Australia
enlarging educational opportunities to enter the University among persons with limited prospects of so doing for reasons which they could not overcome
representation of the University’s needs for resources for its growth and diversification and supply of such resources.

1.4 Eligibility for honorary awards

The following will not be eligible for an honorary award:
- Fellows of Senate while in office
- Current members of staff*
Former Fellows of Senate and former members of staff* will not normally be eligible for nomination for an honorary award within two years of their retirement from the relevant office.
Honorary Fellows of the University are eligible for nomination for the award of an honorary degree, except where bullet points 1 and 2 apply.
A person on whom an honorary degree has been conferred is eligible to be nominated for election as an Honorary Fellow, except where bullet points 1 and 2 apply.

* An exception may be made for compensated work of a minor nature.

1.5 Honorary degrees

Any degree of the University may be awarded as an honorary award except the Doctor of Philosophy.

1.6 Call for nominations

Notices are placed each year calling for nominations, as follows:

on the Honorary Awards website
on the Committee's website
in UniNews
in the Sydney Alumni Magazine
in online staff notices
in MyUni
on the Alumni website
emailed to all staff and students
emailed to Fellows of Senate and principals of residential colleges.

1.7 Submission of names

Names of proposed recipients for honorary awards should be submitted:

to the Registrar
by 31 May unless another closing date is provided in the call for nominations
addressing the relevant criteria and with sufficient information to identify the person and the case for the award which must be in terms of 1.2(a) above (Guideline 3 from the Guidelines for honorary degrees) and 1.2(b) above (Guideline 1 from the Guidelines for Honorary Fellows).

Fellows of Senate may nominate candidates, but not act as referees.

1.8 Confidentiality of names

Any person nominated for the award of an honorary award shall not be consulted beforehand, nor at any time prior to the person being advised of Senate’s decision.
All nominations, deliberations, investigations and recommendations relating to the nomination shall be treated as strictly confidential by all persons concerned.

1.9 Urgent nominations

Consideration of names put forward outside the normal round is at the discretion of the Chair of the Advisory Committee for Honorary Awards or on the request of at least three members of the Advisory Committee.

If the proposal is a serious one and determined to be urgent, it may be considered

by the members of the Committee at a special meeting, with a subsequent recommendation to Senate, or
by the members of the Committee by circulation, with a subsequent recommendation to Senate, or
by Fellows of Senate by circulation,

depending on the time constraints involved.

2. Consideration of nominations

2.1 Advisory Committee for Honorary Awards

Membership:

The Chancellor (Chair)
The Deputy Chancellor
The Vice-Chancellor and Principal
The Chair of the Academic Board
The Deputy Vice-Chancellors (non-voting)
Not more than six other Fellows

Voting rights: Only Fellows of Senate on the Advisory Committee for Honorary Awards have voting rights.

2.2 Meetings of the Advisory Committee for Honorary Awards

The Registrar will seek advice from the relevant Deans on degree nominations where this has not been provided (addressing the criteria and listing the names of those consulted if the person’s achievements are outside the Dean’s field), and such other advice as is deemed appropriate so as to properly inform the Committee.
The first scheduled Committee meeting is a culling meeting, and the report to Senate is finalised at the second meeting, for consideration by Senate at its next routine meeting.
If suggested names are deferred to the next annual round, the nominator will be asked to submit a revised nomination.

2.3 Report to Senate

The confidential report to Senate, which will be circulated to Fellows of Senate with the Senate agenda, will include minutes giving reasons for the Advisory Committee’s recommendations.
Documentation received by the Committee will be available to Fellows for inspection.

2.4 Review of guidelines and procedures

The Committee will review annually its procedures.

3. Conferring of honorary awards

3.1 Conferring of honorary awards

Honorary awards are normally conferred at a scheduled graduation ceremony.
Honorary awards are normally conferred in the year following the nomination round.

3.2 Advice about nominees

Each successful nominator is advised that the nomination has been approved by Senate and is asked to prepare a draft citation (see 3.3 below) in anticipation of the nominee’s acceptance.
The relevant Dean is advised about successful nominations relating to his/her Faculty, and asked for advice about the appropriate graduation ceremony to be offered to the recipient.
Remaining nominators are advised that their nomination has been unsuccessful/has been deferred.
The successful nominator and the relevant Dean are advised when the ceremony date has been confirmed by the recipient for conferral of the honorary award.

3.3 Preparation of citations

The nominator will be asked to prepare a draft citation for finalisation by the Vice-Chancellor and the Chair of the Advisory Committee.
If major redrafting is required, there will be consultation with the nominator.

3.4 Occasional address

There is no automatic expectation that honorary award recipients will be invited to give the occasional address at the graduation ceremony; the determination of who will present the occasional address will follow the normal protocols.

3.5 Celebratory function

The Dean of the relevant Faculty has responsibility for ensuring an appropriate celebration takes place.
Where there is a wider University significance, the Chancellor and the Vice-Chancellor, in consultation with the Dean of the relevant Faculty, may determine that an alternate celebratory function is appropriate.

3.6 Honorary degree recipients

are presented with the appropriate academic dress, a testamur and a copy of the citation given at the ceremony
are invited to graduation ceremonies and are entitled to join the academic procession
have their names recorded in the University Calendar

3.7 Honorary Fellows of the University

are presented with a blue and gold stole, a testamur and a copy of the citation given at the ceremony
are invited to attend graduation ceremonies and are entitled to join the academic procession
have their names recorded in the University Calendar
receive copies of the University News and the Gazette

3.8 Posthumous award

If a person whose name is put forward dies before the recommendation goes to Senate, the proposal lapses.
If Senate approves a recommendation for an honorary award and that person subsequently dies before the award is conferred, then the honorary award is conferred posthumously.