From: David Naylor, President
Date: May 17, 2013
Re: Honorary Degree Nominations, 2013-14
In September, the Committee for Honorary Degrees will begin meeting to consider candidates for the awarding of honorary degrees at the 2013 and some of the 2014 convocations. We would like to encourage interest and participation in this important process, and urge you and your colleagues to submit nominations for exceptional individuals.
By awarding honorary degrees, the University of Toronto seeks to recognize extraordinary achievement, in Canada or abroad, in community, national or international involvement, and to honour those individuals whose accomplishments are of such generally perceived excellence that they provide, through example, inspiration and leadership to the graduates of the University. Their esteem should be such that, by virtue of accepting an honorary degree, their presence will bring honour and distinction to the University of Toronto.
Date: May 17, 2013
Re: Honorary Degree Nominations, 2013-14
In September, the Committee for Honorary Degrees will begin meeting to consider candidates for the awarding of honorary degrees at the 2013 and some of the 2014 convocations. We would like to encourage interest and participation in this important process, and urge you and your colleagues to submit nominations for exceptional individuals.
By awarding honorary degrees, the University of Toronto seeks to recognize extraordinary achievement, in Canada or abroad, in community, national or international involvement, and to honour those individuals whose accomplishments are of such generally perceived excellence that they provide, through example, inspiration and leadership to the graduates of the University. Their esteem should be such that, by virtue of accepting an honorary degree, their presence will bring honour and distinction to the University of Toronto.
Nomination forms and further information, including the Terms of Reference and Guidelines for the Committee are available on the Governing Council website at: http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/Governing_Council/bac/HD_1.htm.
Nominations are welcome at any time; however, the Committee requests that they be received no later than August 16, 2013 to allow for their consideration by the Committee in September. Please submit completed forms to:
The Secretary, Committee for Honorary Degrees
Office of the Governing Council
Simcoe Hall, Room 106
27 King’s College Circle
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1
Fax: 416-978-8182
Office of the Governing Council
Simcoe Hall, Room 106
27 King’s College Circle
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1
Fax: 416-978-8182
The Committee defines as broad a range of categories for achievement as possible in obtaining and considering nominations. In determining the leaders and exemplars to honour, it will seek over time to achieve a balance across disciplines and backgrounds. The Committee also considers the association nominees may have with the University of Toronto or with higher education more broadly. The award of an honorary degree is an important statement of recognition and respect from the University to the broader community. It is also an excellent way to build special relationships between your Faculty, Department, Centre or College and outstanding individuals who symbolize the best of our institution.
A Sub-committee for Nominations works to ensure that the Committee is able to consider the broadest and deepest possible pool of high quality candidates. In addition to providing input on the nominations received, the Sub-committee may contact members of the University and external communities in order to generate nominations, and will also follow up with nominators to obtain more thorough information if it is required.
Nominations are kept active for a period of one year. If you have submitted a nomination since December 2012, it will be brought forward to the Committee for its consideration this September. For candidates who have not been successful, we recommend a waiting period of not less than 2 years before re-nomination, unless there are special circumstances. We recommend re-submissions that can stand on their own, rather than recycling or relying on earlier nominations, as this ensures that the committee will take a fresh look at the submission.
Please note that it is a requirement that honorary degree recipients attend Convocation for the conferral of their degrees. For two categories of nominees, the conferral of honorary degrees will not normally occur until a minimum of two years has elapsed following their retirement from active service in their field, and consequently, nominations should not be submitted until at least one year has elapsed. First are nominees who are currently active in political life, though exceptions may be considered for Governors-General and Lieutenant-Governors, as well as for judges and others whose appointments place them outside active partisan politics. The second category includes nominees who are serving members of the Governing Council or of the University staff, upon whom honorary degrees should not be conferred until a minimum of two years following their retirement or departure from the University. In exceptional circumstances, the Committee may choose to waive these requirements in order to allow the University to honour truly meritorious individuals.
Please take the time, either on your own or in consultation with your colleagues, to submit one or more nominations. In preparing submissions, nominators should pay particular attention to the statement of reasons for the nomination, and ensure that they provide sufficiently thorough information for the consideration of the Committee. We hope that, with your assistance, a large pool of excellent nominations will come before the Committee for consideration.
Thank you in advance for your contribution to this important process.
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