Call for nominations: Candidates for honorary degrees

students gathered for convocation

The Senate Sub-Committee on Honorary Degrees and Ceremonials encourages members of the York community to submit nominations for honorary degrees. Honorary Degree Guidelines and nomination forms can be found here.

Candidates for honorary degrees must meet one or more of the following general criteria: has eminence in his or her field; demonstrated service to humankind, Canada, Ontario, York University or a particular community in a significant manner; has provided a significant benefaction to the University; is someone whose public contributions to society are worthy of emulation.

Nomination forms should be accompanied by personal statements of support for the nominee, a curriculum vitae or biographical summary and a short summary of the nomination. They are confidential and should not be disclosed to the nominee. The sub-committee will be considering the nominees for inclusion in a pool, from which the chancellor and president will select individuals to be honoured at a given convocation. The committee encourages nominations that will provide a pool of high quality candidates with a variety backgrounds and accomplishments under the more general criteria set out above.

Nominations for honorary degrees are considered throughout the year. Nominations received by Friday, Oct.18, will be considered at the next meeting of the sub-committee.

Nominations should be forwarded to the Senate Sub-Committee on Honorary Degrees and Ceremonials, to the attention of the secretary, Harriet Lewis, c/o University Secretariat, 1050 Kaneff Tower, Keele campus.