Effective Date: February, 5, 2018
Last Reviewed: June 7, 2023*
*name of title changed and was amended
Definition
When a student in good academic standing dies before graduation, the College may wish to acknowledge the student’s accomplishments and ties to the Stonehill community by awarding a posthumous degree, an honorary posthumous degree, or a special ceremonial diploma.
Posthumous Degree
If a deceased student was far enough advanced in his or her final term that the instructors were able give grades in all courses, and all other requirements were also satisfied, then a posthumous degree may be awarded as earned. In these cases, the transcript will not carry any special notation of having been awarded posthumously, and the degrees will be considered in the official count of degrees earned (while honorary posthumous degree are not).
Honorary Posthumous Degree
A deceased student who did not complete all requirements for his/her degree at the time of death may be awarded an honorary posthumous degree provided the following conditions are met:
- The student must have been in good academic standing with the institution at the time of death. Good standing is defined as not being academically deficient for his/her classification (i.e., academic probation, continued probation, suspension or expulsion).
- The student has satisfied the requirements for earned credits in residence at Stonehill.
- The student must have been enrolled at time of death (summer excluded), or his/her continuous enrollment must have been interrupted by injury, illness, deployment, etc.
- Undergraduate students must have been within two semesters of completion (have completed a minimum of 90 credits) to be nominated for an honorary posthumous degree.
- A graduate student must have completed a substantial amount of research/work toward a thesis or comprehensive project as determined by the department/program in which the student was enrolled. A graduate student who was not required to complete a thesis or comprehensive project as part of his/her plan of study must have been within 75% of degree completion to be nominated for an honorary posthumous degree.
Awarding Honorary Posthumous Degree
- Anybody, including a member of the deceased student’s family, may identify a candidate for an honorary posthumous degree, but such a nomination must be made to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for consideration and to begin the formal process.
- The Registrar will confirm for the Vice President for Academic Affairs the student’s academic standing and earned credits.
- The recommendation of the Vice President for Academic Affairs will be forwarded to the President for formal approval.
- If approved, the Vice President for Academic Affairs will request that the Assistant Dean & Registrar complete the transcription, graduation, and diploma procedures. The statement "Awarded Posthumously" will be printed on the student’s academic transcript, but not on the diploma.
- The Vice President for Academic Affairs will inform the immediate family of the College’s decision and desire to recognize their student with this honor. This process should be kept confidential until and unless approved at all levels.
- If the student does not meet the criteria, or if the decision to award the degree is not approved, the Vice President for Academic Affairs will inform the family.
- After the honorary posthumous degree has been approved, the Registrar will convey the diploma in one of three ways: mail the diploma to the family member; provide it to the Vice President for Academic Affairs or the President for presentation in a private gathering as a special gesture to the family; or a family member may choose to receive the diploma on the student’s behalf at the commencement ceremony.
- An honorary posthumous degree will be printed in commencement programs within the appropriate college section. If the family chooses not to participate, this award may still be read during the ceremony (unless explicitly requested otherwise by the family).
- If the recipient of a posthumous degree or honorary posthumous degree is financially indebted to the College, this debt will be waived.
Special Ceremonial Diploma
When requested and with the approval of the family, a student dies prior to completing ninety credits may be awarded a special ceremonial diploma with support of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the approval of the President. In these cases, the special ceremonial diploma recognizes the student’s academic progress and contributions to the College community and may be issued to the family in a private gathering or at the Commencement ceremony