12.001:  Posthumous Awarding of Degrees

Valid until SUPERCEDED on August 27, 2012

Current Version

Status:	Approved on October 28, 2002	Signatures and dates on archival copy
Effective:	September 1, 2002
Initiated by:	Bill Jones Assistant Vice President For Academic Services
Reviewed by:	Nancy Prichard Crist, Chair Policy and Procedure Review Committee
Endorsed by:	Gary B. North Vice President for Administration
Approved by:	Stephen Kopp Provost

Purpose

Establish guidelines for awarding degrees posthumously.

Policy

At the request of a parent, guardian, spouse, or child of the decedent, Ohio University will award a baccalaureate degree posthumously to a student providing the student was in good academic standing at the time of death, in a degree program, and, for a baccalaureate degree, had entered his or her senior year at the time of death. An associate degree may be awarded posthumously to the student in good academic standing who had entered the second year of the associate degree program and had completed at least 64 quarter hours of credit.

Procedures

It is appropriate for any interested party to initiate consideration of awarding the degree, but the formal request must come from the family member to the student's academic dean (the dean of the college or campus that awards the degree).

The dean sends a memo to the Office of the Registrar asking that the degree be awarded posthumously as of the appropriate graduate date. This memo must indicate that the request came from or was approved by the family.

The Office of the Registrar will waive the application fee.

The Office of the Registrar will mail the diploma to the family member or, if desired, give it to the dean or other appropriate University official for presentation in a private gathering as a special gesture to the family. Upon the request of the academic dean, the Office of the Registrar will make a special effort to get the diploma early.

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. Policy and Procedure Review Committee

2. Dean of Students

3. Registrar

4. Associate Provost for Academic Affairs

5. The several colleges' Assistant or Associate Deans for Student Affairs

6. Vice President for Regional Higher Education

Forms

There are no forms that are specific to this policy.

Dick Piccard revised this file (http://www.ohio.edu/policy/s12-001.html) on May 10, 2012.

Please E-mail any comments or suggestions to "policy@ohio.edu".