Boston University Honorary Degree Guidelines

A. The President shall appoint and convene an advisory Honorary Degree Committee consisting of deans and distinguished members of the faculty.

B. The Honorary Degree Committee shall seek to identify, for consideration by the President, distinguished individuals who are deserving of recognition as honorary degree recipients. While nominations may be made by trustees, faculty, and staff, input shall specifically be solicited from members of the faculty for nomination of eminent scholars or practitioners in their field. Academics should comprise the majority of honorary degree recipients.

1. 1. The nomination should include a letter of nomination describing the individual and their outstanding contributions.
   2. A curriculum vitae should be supplied for academics, a bio for all others.
   3. The nomination process should be kept confidential.
   4. Candidates can be nominated prior to the year in which the honorary degree is received.
   5. Honorary degrees ordinarily will not be granted to any current University Trustee or to any faculty or staff member employed on a full-time basis at the University, nor will they be granted posthumously.

C. The selection of honorary degree recipients shall be guided by the following principles:

1. 1. The award of a Boston University honorary degree represents a public and tangible statement of the University’s commitment to excellence. The award of an honorary degree must be consistent with the University’s mission and values.
   2. Recipients are individuals who have distinguished themselves by making exceptional contributions in scholarship, scientific discovery, the arts, public service, and/or humanitarian leadership, or demonstrated outstanding service to the University.
   3. Recipients should have made significant contribution to the betterment of society and the world.
   4.  Recipients should reflect the diversity of the University, the United States, and the international community.
   5. Recipients should be individuals whose character reflects the integrity and virtues that the University values and esteems in members of its community. They should be worthy exemplars for the University’s graduates and inspirational to the University community.

D. The President shall review the final list of honorary degree candidates with the Board of Trustees.

E. In extraordinary circumstances, and after careful consideration of the original rationale for the award of the degree and of subsequent circumstances, the Board of Trustees may revoke a previously awarded honorary degree. Such action may be taken upon a determination that there is a substantial basis for discrediting the accomplishments for which an honoree was originally recognized or for concluding that the honoree has engaged in conduct which has brought significant and lasting discredit on themself and therefore potentially on the University’s reputation.

1. 1. If the Office of the President determines that a request to revoke an honorary degree bestowed by Boston University has sufficient merit to warrant further consideration or if the President wishes the University to consider potential revocation at the President’s own initiative (in both cases, a “Request”), the President will submit the Request to an ad hoc committee appointed by the President to review the Request.
   2. The President will select members of the committee from the Boston University community to include individuals with subject matter expertise as appropriate to the Request. The committee may seek additional input, advice, or expertise from outside sources.
   3. The committee’s review of the Request will depend on several factors, including the conduct at issue, the degree of harm caused, the strength of the evidence, and the extent to which allowing the individual to retain the honorary degree contradicts Boston University’s mission or values.
   4. Upon the completion of its review, the committee will submit a written recommendation to the President as to whether the honorary degree should be retained or revoked, and in either case, how best to inform the community and public of the honoree’s acts that necessitated the review. The President will consult with and seek the approval of the University’s Board of Trustees to revoke an honorary degree in all instances.