Honorary Degrees Regulations 2012

Part 1. Preliminary

1. Purpose

The purpose of these Regulations is to make provision relating to the awarding of honorary degrees.

2. Authorising provision

These Regulations are made under the Academic and Student Affairs Statute 2012 and sections 28, 29 and 30 of the Swinburne University of Technology Act 2010.

3. Definitions

In these Regulations-

Conferral Committee means the Conferral Committee established under regulation 8.

Part 2. Honorary Degrees

4. Honorary degrees

1. The honorary degrees which may be conferred by Council are

a. Doctor of the University (HonDUniv);
b. Doctor of Business (HonDBus);
c. Doctor of Design (HonDDes);
d. Doctor of Engineering (HonDEng);
e. Doctor of Information and Communication Technology (HonDICT);
f. Doctor of Technology (HonDTech);
g. Doctor of Social Sciences (HonDSocSci);
h. Doctor of Science (HonDSci);
i. Doctor of Letters (HonDLitt);
j. Doctor of Laws (HonLLD);
k. Doctor of Health Sciences (HonDHlthSci);
l. Doctor of Education (HonDEd).

2. A submission for the conferring of an honorary degree must be made in the first instance to the Vice-Chancellor by an individual member or group of members of the University.

3. A submission made under subregulation (2) must be made without informing the nominated person; however, the submission is not invalid only because the nominated person becomes aware of the nomination.

4. The Vice-Chancellor must place submissions (as made under subregulation (2)) before the Conferral Committee.

5. Confidentiality

1. All persons associated with the nomination and approval process in respect of an honorary degree must treat the matter in confidence.

2. Without limiting subregulation (1)—

a. nominations for the award of an honorary degree must be submitted in confidence to the Vice-Chancellor without the knowledge of the nominated person; and

b. the person nominated must not be notified until the award of the honorary degree has been approved by the Council.

6. Approval

1. If the Conferral Committee unanimously approves a submission, it may recommend to the Council that the conferring of the honorary degree be approved.

2. A recommendation made under subregulation (1) must be supported by any materials that the Conferral Committee considers appropriate.

3. If the Council by at least a 2/3 majority approves the conferring of the honorary degree, the Vice-Chancellor must ascertain whether the nominee is willing to receive the award and—

a. if the nominee is not willing to receive the award then the Council approval lapses; or

b. if the nominee is willing to receive the award then the Council may confer the honorary degree.

7. Citation

Recommendations to the Council by the Conferral Committee for the award of an honorary degree must be accompanied by a citation detailing the academic eminence or distinguished service of the nominee.

8. Conferral Committee

Council must constitute a committee the membership of which will be determined by Council and the functions of which will include—

a. to receive and consider submissions for the conferring of honorary degrees;

b. to make recommendations to the Council for the conferring of honorary degrees.

9. Ceremony

An honorary degree testamur must be presented at an appropriate ceremony and the recipient must be presented to the Chancellor by the Vice-Chancellor.

Part 3. Transitional

10. Continuation of Honorary Degrees and Professors Emeritus Committee

The Honorary Degrees and Professors Emeritus Committee of the Council as constituted immediately before commencement of this regulation is deemed to be constituted as the Conferral Committee under this regulation.