Honorary Degree Nomination Process

In the winter/spring of each year, members of the University community are invited by the president to nominate individuals to be considered for honorary degrees for the next academic year. Campus nominations are considered by the President’s Honorary Degree Advisory Committee and forwarded to the SUNY Chancellor. They are then reviewed by a SUNY Honorary Degree Committee before final review and approval by the Trustees of the State University of New York. 

In choosing nominees, you are asked to keep in mind the criteria of the board of trustees.  Honorary degrees are awarded “to recognize excellence in the fields of public affairs, the sciences, humanities and the arts, scholarship and education, business and philanthropy, and social services which exemplify the mission and purposes of the State University of New York.”  Furthermore, the nominee's achievements must be both relevant and appropriate to the nominating campus. Obviously, at Binghamton we want to recognize achievements that are relevant to our traditions and interests. Our experience also indicates that nominees are far more likely to accept our honorary degree invitations if there is some direct connection with the campus or a member of our University community.

Follow these guidelines in making your recommendations:

1.  Submit a letter of nomination to the President through the dean if associated with one of the five schools or directly to the President’s Office. Describe why the nominee's distinction or eminence in his or her field justifies the awarding of an honorary degree and state how the nominee's achievements are relevant to the University at Binghamton. If you have detailed information about the nominee's accomplishments (vitae or Who's Who entry), forward it as well.

2.  Maintain complete confidentiality regarding the nomination. The nominee especially should not know that his or her name has been submitted.

3.  Also, according to board of trustee policies, no one already holding an honorary degree from any SUNY institution is eligible to receive another one. To check in advance regarding an individual's eligibility, or if you have other questions concerning criteria and process, contact the president’s deputy, Matthew Johnson, at 777-2131 or via e-mail at mjohnson@binghamton.edu.

Your participation in this recognition of excellence will be greatly appreciated.