11.08.99.C1

Award of Posthumous Degrees

Approved March 26, 2001

   

1.

CRITERIA FOR AWARDING DEGREES

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi may award a graduate or undergraduate degree posthumously when a student has substantially completed all requirements for the degree and was in good academic and citizenship standing at the time of death. For a posthumous degree to be awarded, one of the following circumstances must have occurred:

1.1

The student had completed all academic requirements for the degree, but the student died prior to certification of degree completion.

1.2

The student had been enrolled in courses that, upon successful completion, would have culminated in the awarding of the degree. Requirements for specific degrees follow.

1.2.1

Bachelor's Degree

  1. The student should have been enrolled at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in the semester in which the degree would have been conferred. In the case of summer graduation, enrollment in the first summer term would meet this requirement. If the student lacked only one summer term to complete his/her degree but was not enrolled during the first term, anticipated enrollment during the second term would be taken as fulfilling the enrollment requirement.
  2. The student's grade point average would have to be a minimum of a two on a four point scale.
  3. The degree must be recommended by the student's major department and the college dean.

1.2.2

Master's Degree

  1. Enrollment requirements are the same as for the bachelor's degree unless the student was writing a thesis.
  2. If the student was writing a thesis, all course work must have been completed with passing grades. Substantial progress toward the completion of the thesis should have been made.
  3. The student would have to have a grade point average of three on a four-point scale for his/her graduate work.
  4. The degree must be recommended by the student's major and minor professors, major department, the graduate dean, and the college dean.

1.2.3

Doctoral Degree

  1. All course work and qualifying exams should have been satisfactorily completed.
  2. Substantial progress should have been made toward the completion of the dissertation.
  3. There should be a reasonable expectation that the degree would have been conferred in the near future.
  4. The degree must be recommended by the student's Doctoral Committee, major department, the graduate dean, and the college dean.

1.3

The student was in the final year of his or her studies and was representing the University in an institutional-sponsored activity at the time of death.

2.

PROCEDURES

2.1

The dean of the college in which the student was pursuing the degree at the time of death is responsible for ensuring that the procedures below are followed.

2.2

Any exceptions to the rule or procedure on awarding of degrees posthumously must be approved by the President.

2.3

The chair of the department in which the student was pursuing the degree is responsible for reviewing the student's academic record and consulting with the student's professors or, if applicable, the student's Doctoral Committee. The department chair should forward his/her written recommendation, along with the academic record, to the dean of the college. Any recommendations provided by the student's professors or the Doctoral Committee should also be forwarded to the dean.

2.4

The dean of the college should review the recommendations and confer with the graduate dean (if appropriate). The dean of the college should forward his/her own written recommendation and the written recommendation of the graduate dean (if appropriate), along with supporting documentation (academic audit, proof of death, and other relevant materials) to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

2.5

The Provost will review the materials and decide whether or not to include the individual on the list of degree recipients.

2.6

Customarily, degrees awarded posthumously will be noted on the commencement program and a member of the deceased student's family will be permitted to participate, upon approval, in the commencement in which the deceased student would have been eligible to participate. The student's diploma will be mailed to the person legally authorized to manage the deceased student's affairs.

Contact for Interpretation: Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs