THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
 
Programs and Awards Statute 2013
 
HONORARY DEGREES RULES 2014
 
The Council of The Australian National University makes these Rules under section 8 of the Programs and Awards Statute 2013.
 
Dated: 3 October 2014.
 
 
 
 
 
Professor the Hon Gareth Evans AC QC FASSA
CHANCELLOR
 
 
1       Name of Rules and commencement
1(1)     These Rules are the Honorary Degrees Rules 2014.
(2)       These Rules commence on the day after they are registered.
2       Definitions
2(1)     In these Rules, unless the contrary intention appears:
Committee means the Honorary Degrees Committee established under these Rules;
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, in relation to a matter, means the person who holds office as a Deputy Vice-Chancellor and who has portfolio responsibility for the matter;
honorary degree means a degree that may be awarded under rule 3.
3       Honorary degrees
3(1)     An honorary degree may be awarded to a person to recognise a significant contribution to the work, reputation or standing of the University made by the person through:
              (a)   outstanding achievement as a scholar in any field of scholarship, letters or the arts; or
              (b)   outstanding contributions in the service of society; or
              (c)   outstanding service to the University.
3(2)     However, in an exceptional case, an honorary degree may be awarded to a person to recognise:
              (a)   outstanding achievement by the person as a scholar in any field of scholarship, letters or the arts; or
              (b)   outstanding contributions by the person in the service of society;
whether the recipient has been associated with the University, or has made a direct contribution to the work, reputation or standing of the University, or not.
3(3)     Any degree of the University, except the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, may be awarded as an honorary degree.
3(4)     The honorary degree of Doctor of the University may be awarded for outstanding service to the University.
3(5)     In spite of anything contained in subrules 3(1) to 3(4), an honorary degree may not be awarded to a person who is, when nominated, a member of the staff of the University.
4       Proposals
4(1)     A proposal for admission to an honorary degree:
              (a)   is to be in writing signed by one or more of the following persons as proposers, namely, the Vice-Chancellor, a member of the Council, an ANU College Dean or a Director of an academic area of an ANU College; and
              (b)   must give the reasons which make it particularly appropriate that the person proposed should receive an honorary degree of the University; and
              (c)   must contain supporting information, and may include supporting opinions and suggestions as to persons appropriate to be consulted in relation to the proposal.
4(2)     A proposal must be addressed to the Chair of the Committee and delivered to the Director, Corporate Governance and Risk Office who must send it to the Committee for consideration and, if supported by the Committee, for recommendation to the Council.
5       Honorary Degrees Committee
5(1)     There is established as a Committee of the Council, an Honorary Degrees Committee consisting of:
              (a)   the Chancellor; and
              (b)   the Pro-Chancellor; and
              (c)   the Vice-Chancellor; and
              (d)   the Deputy Vice-Chancellor; and
              (e)   3 members of the Council appointed by the Council, none of whom is:
                           (i)   referred to in paragraph (a) or (b); or
                          (ii)   a member of the staff of the University; or
                         (iii)   a student at the University; and
               (f)   1 member of the academic staff of the Institute of Advanced Studies appointed by the Council on the recommendation of the Vice-Chancellor, after appropriate consultation; and
              (g)   1 member of the academic staff of The Faculties appointed by the Council on the recommendation of the Vice-Chancellor, after appropriate consultation; and
              (h)   either the President of the Australian National University Postgraduate and Research Students' Association Inc. or the President of the Australian National University Students' Association Inc., appointed by the Vice-Chancellor after consultation with both Presidents.
5(2)     The Vice-Chancellor may appoint a member of the Council, being a person who is not:
              (a)   already a member of the Committee; or
              (b)   a member of the staff of the University; or
              (c)   a student at the University;
as an alternate member of the Committee for the purposes of a meeting which a member appointed under paragraph (1) (a), (b), (c) or (e)  is unable to attend.
5(3)     The Vice-Chancellor may appoint an appropriate member of the academic staff of the University as an alternate member of the Committee for the purposes of a meeting which a member appointed under paragraph (1) (d), (f) or (g) is unable to attend.
5(4)     A person who is a member of the Committee by virtue of holding an office of the kind referred to in paragraph (1) (a) to (e) or (h) ceases to be a member of the Committee if that person ceases to hold that office.
6       Procedure of the Committee
6(1)     The Chancellor is to be the Chair at meetings of the Committee.
6(2)     In the absence of the Chancellor at a meeting, the Pro-Chancellor or, in the absence of the Pro-Chancellor, a member of the Committee elected by the Committee, must act as Chair for the meeting.
6(3)     Subject to these Rules, the Committee may determine its own procedure.
6(4)     The quorum of the Committee for a meeting to consider a proposal for admission to an honorary degree under subrule 3(1), (2) or (4) is 8.
6(5)     Subject to subrule 6(6), a proposal for admission to an honorary degree may be adopted by the Committee only if it is supported by at least 80% of the members present at the meeting.
6(6)     However, if a member is absent from a meeting, the member may take part in the making of the decision by telephone or by advising their vote to the Chair or secretary of the Committee by email or in writing before the final decision is made.
7       Confidentiality
7(1)     A proposal for the award of an honorary degree must be considered highly confidential until the Council resolves to admit the person concerned to the degree.
7(2)     If the Committee decides not to accept a proposal, the Director, Corporate Governance and Risk Office must inform the proposers accordingly.
8       Council
8(1)     When the Committee accepts a proposal for the award of an honorary degree, the Director, Corporate Governance and Risk Office must ascertain the proposed recipient's willingness to be admitted to the degree.
8(2)     If the proposed recipient is willing to be admitted to the degree, the Chair of the Committee must send the Committee's acceptance of the proposal to the Council for consideration.
9       Conferring
9(1)     The conferring of an honorary degree is to be at such time and place as are convenient to both the University and the recipient.
9(2)     An honorary degree may not be conferred in absentia.
9(3)     However, in spite of subrules 9(2) and 8(1), an honorary degree may be conferred posthumously if the Director, Corporate Governance and Risk Office had received the relevant proposal under subrule 4(2) before the death of the nominee.
10     Repeal
10(1)   The Honorary Degrees Rules 2012, as amended and in force immediately before the commencement of these Rules, are repealed.
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