1. Overview

   This policy establishes guidelines for awarding undergraduate degrees posthumously.

   See also policy 12.002.

   At the request of a parent, guardian, spouse, or child of the decedent, Ohio university will award a baccalaureate degree posthumously to a student providing the student was in good academic standing at the time of death, in a degree program, and, for a baccalaureate degree, had entered his or her senior year at the time of death. An associate degree may be awarded posthumously to the student in good academic standing who had entered the second year of the associate degree program and had completed at least forty semester hours of credit.

2. Process

   It is appropriate for any interested party to initiate consideration of awarding the degree, but the formal request must come from the family member to the student's academic dean (the dean of the college or campus that awards the degree).

   The dean sends a memo to the office of the university registrar asking that the degree be awarded posthumously as of the appropriate degree-conferral date. This memo must indicate that the request came from or was approved by the family.

   The office of the university registrar will waive the application fee.

   The office of the university registrar will mail the diploma to the family member or, if desired, give it to the dean or other appropriate university official for presentation in a private gathering as a special gesture to the family. Upon the request of the academic dean, the office of the university registrar will make a special effort to get the diploma early.

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. Dean of Students

2. Associate Provost for Faculty and Academic Planning

3. Executive Dean of Regional Higher Education

4. Faculty Senate

Forms, References, and History

1. Forms

   There are no forms that are specific to this policy.

2. References

   The following item is relevant to this policy:

   1. Policy 12.002, "Posthumous Awarding of Graduate Degrees."

3. History

   Draft versions of this policy that were circulated for review, their cover memos, their forms, and Reviewers' comments on them are available on the password-protected Review site.

   Prior versions of this policy were approved on:

   1. October 28, 2002

   2. April 17, 2001.