5.5.3 DIPLOMAS
Diplomas may be issued at a December or May Commencement Convocation. They may be issued by the University Registrar at other times when the degrees have been recommended by the University Senate and approved by the Board of Trustees.
5.5.3.1 Diplomas Issued to Graduated Students
[US: 2/13/2006]
Pursuant to delegation from the Board of Trustees, the University Senate establishes final policy on the informational content to be included on diplomas (GR IV.C. 3). Diplomas attesting the award of degrees and honors may be issued at a December or May Commencement Convocation. They may be issued by the University Registrar at other times when the degrees have been recommended by the University Faculty through the elected faculty senators in University Senate and approved by the Board of Trustees (KRS 164.240; GR IV.A). [US: 2/14/11]
Diplomas shall display the name of the University, the title of the degree and the name of the major being conferred, the authority under which the indicated degree is being conferred, and signatures representing that authority (i.e., the degree program faculty being represented by the signature of the dean of the college that is academically responsible for the degree, the University Senate being represented by the signature of the President who is Chair of the University Senate, the Board of Trustees being represented by the signature of the Chair of the Board, and the Registrar’s signature representing the University’s certification that the individual has satisfactorily completed all requirements for the degree). [US: 11/13/2017]
Each college dean shall attest to the Registrar the names of graduates in their college who have met the conditions for the “degree honors” prescribed above in SR 5.5.2.2. The Registrar shall ascertain the names of graduates who have met the conditions for the Honors graduation credential (SR 5.5.2.2). The honors specified in SR 5.5.2.2 shall be displayed on the diploma, along with the signatures of the attesting college dean and Registrar. [US: 5/6/2019]
Upon the recommendation of the elected faculty Senators in the University Senate, the Board of Trustees may award, and prescribe conditions for, new categories of academic honors that are conferred only upon final Board action (pursuant to KRS 164.240 and GR IV.A).
- * The elected University Faculty Senators control the qualifications that enable students prospectively graduating in a given semester to be included on the list received from the University Registrar, for the vote of the elected Faculty Senators, on whether to approve recommending those graduates to the Board of Trustees for conferral of a degree. The current requirements for eligibility of prospectively graduating students for inclusion on the list for conferral of a Ph.D. are that, by a stated deadline during that semester, the respective Director of Graduate Studies attests in writing to the Graduate School that: the graduate student (a) was not in a conditional status, (b) had no "I" and "S" grades in credit-bearing courses, (c) had passed the qualifying examination, (d) has a reasonable prospect for successful defense and submission of a dissertation for that semester’s graduation, and (e) had met all other requirements of the individual’s graduate program for the degree. [SREC: 8/2009]
5.5.3.2 Diplomas Issued to Recipients of Honorary Degrees
[US: 2/13/2006]
Diplomas attesting to the award of an Honorary Degree shall include the name of the University, the date of the award of the degree and its title, that the authority under which the Honorary Degree is being conferred is that of the “Board of Trustees” and the “University Faculty”, and signatures representing that authority (i.e., the University Faculty being represented by the signature of the President who is Chair of the University Senate, and the Board of Trustees being represented by the signature of the Chair of the Board).
5.5.3.3 In Memoriam Degrees
[US: 2/10/2014, 2/9/2015]
5.5.3.3.1 Purpose
Pursuant to Senate Rule 5.5.3.1, the Senate seeks to provide the families of deceased students who had not completed requirements for a degree with a meaningful acknowledgment of the achievements and legacy of the student and, at the same time, uphold academic and institutional integrity. To meet these goals, the UK Board of Trustees has established a new category and title of Honorary Degree (Board of Trustees ASACR 1, April 1, 2014), In Memoriam Posthumous Degree (hereafter In Memoriam degree), to be conferred posthumously upon final action by the Board of Trustees.
5.5.3.3.2 Conditions for Conferral of In Memoriam Degrees
5.5.3.3.2.1 Eligibility
An In Memoriam degree allows for recognition of a student’s connection to the University regardless of their progress toward completion of degree requirements. Undergraduate, graduate, and professional students who were registered in a degree program at the time of their death, but did not complete degree requirements, are eligible for an In Memoriam degree.
5.5.3.3.2.2 Procedures
A proposal for conferral of an In Memoriam degree shall be initiated and processed as follows:
5.5.3.3.2.2.1 Initiation and role of the Dean
Upon being made aware of the deceased student by either the family or chair of the student’s home department, the Dean’s Office of the student’s college shall consult with the student’s degree program, the Dean of Students Office, the Senate Council office, and the Office of the Registrar to review the student’s academic and disciplinary record, to confirm that, at the time of death, the student was in a UK degree-seeking status, and the student was in good academic standing.
5.5.3.3.2.2.2 Role of the Registrar
The Dean’s Office shall forward the request for an In Memoriam degree to the Office of the University Registrar. The University Registrar shall process the request and place the deceased student’s name on an In Memoriam degree list for Senate action.
5.5.3.3.2.2.3 Senate action
In the likely event that the elected Faculty Senators approve the recommendation of each In Memoriam degree along with other degrees, the Senate Council office shall forward the recommendation to the University President for transmittal to the Board of Trustees for final action. In the rare event that the elected Faculty Senators do not approve the recommendation of the In Memoriam degree candidate, the elected Faculty Senators will provide, through the Senate Council, a written justification of the disapproval to the President (Chair of the Senate)
5.5.3.3.2.2.4 Diploma
Upon final approval by the Board of Trustees, the University Registrar shall prepare an In Memoriam degree diploma for the student’s family. The diploma document for this honorary degree title will be structured the same as for other honorary degrees (SR 5.5.3.2).