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Honorary Degrees

North Carolina State University will award honorary doctoral degrees to recognize individuals who have attained achievements of extraordinary and lasting distinction. Awards represent the university’s highest recognition of outstanding and distinguished contributions of scholarship, creativity, leadership and humanitarian or public service, that represent a state-level, national or international model to others and reflect the broad mission of the university. Honorary degrees are not awarded to encourage or reward financial contributions to the university. Individuals may or may not have an existing association with the state and/or the university (such as collaboration on research projects or previous service as a university faculty member or administrator).

The Board of Trustees is responsible for approving all honorary degrees to be conferred by the university, subject to such policies as may be established by the Board of Governors. The Board of Trustees will make its selections of honorary degree recipients from nominations submitted to and recommended by the Faculty Committee on Honorary Degrees and from nominations submitted directly to the University Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees, in care of the assistant secretary to the Board. The assistant secretary will coordinate submissions of nominations with the chancellor and the executive vice chancellor and provost.

The Faculty Committee on Honorary Degrees will be chaired by the executive vice chancellor and provost, and will be composed of 12 members: (1) five faculty recommended by the Faculty Senate, with the total of five including the Chair of the Faculty; (2) two Distinguished University Professors appointed by the executive vice chancellor and provost; (3) an academic dean and (4) three at-large faculty, appointed by the executive vice chancellor and provost, who are representative of the university’s academic, research, extension, engagement and economic development mission.

For further information on honorary degrees, including faculty committee members, invitation to nominate and the nomination form, please visit the website of the Provost’s Office.

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