Honorary Degrees and Recognition Awards – OPBD Procedure
Part 7, Sections 7.7 and 7.8 of the Te Kawa Maiorooro | Educational Regulatory Framework (TKM).
The relevant Te Pūkenga Academic Policies, current Otago Polytechnic policies (as per Te Pūkenga Transitioning (Grandparenting) of Former Subsidiaries Policy) and the relevant Otago Polytechnic Business Division Procedures.
To provide operational procedures by which Otago Polytechnic Business Division confers honorary degrees and recognition awards.
1. Otago Polytechnic Business Division (OPBD) shall establish an Honours Committee which will make recommendations to Te Pūkenga Council as to the conferring of
- Emeritus Professor (includes Associate Professor and Professor)
- Honorary Member of Otago Polytechnic Business Division
- Emeritus Member of Otago Polytechnic Business Division
- Honorary degrees.
1.1. The OPBD Honours Committee shall have as members:
- Executive Director
- Academic Committee Chair or nominee
- An appointee of the Executive Director appropriate to the nominee under consideration for the conferring of an honour
- Te Kaihāpai
- The Convenor of the Staff Subcommittee
- The Chair or nominee shall Chair all meetings of the OPBD Honours Committee.
1.2. The OPBD Honours Committee shall consider nominations and make recommendations to Te Pūkenga Council, under Te Pūkenga approved procedures and criteria, for the conferring of an Honorary Degree or Recognition Award consistent with the following OPBD criteria:
- Emeritus Professor
The award of the title Emeritus Professor for consideration may be granted to a retiring/retired professor who:
2.1 Held the title of Professor on retirement.
2.2 Has made an outstanding/significant contribution to the life and well-being of OPBD over and above normal duties, or
2.3. Has undertaken nationally or internationally respected quality teaching or research, or
2.4. Has demonstrated innovative and strategically important leadership, or
2.5 Has developed a dimension of OPBD in a new way, or
2.6 Has made a significant contribution on behalf of OPBD to industry, business, and trades or professions on committees which OPBD serves.
- Honorary Member
The award of Honorary Member of the OPBD for consideration may be granted to any person who:
3.1. Is not, nor has been a permanent employee of OPBD, and
3.2. Has made an outstanding contribution to the leadership or well-being of OPBD through one of Otago Polytechnic Ltd OPBD committees, or a section of OPBD, or
3.3. Has been a major benefactor to OPBD, or
3.4. Has made a distinguished contribution to OPBD as a visitor, or
3.5. Has developed a dimension of OPBD in a new way.
- Emeritus Member
The award of Emeritus Member of the OPBD for consideration may be granted to any person who:
4.1. Has been and is no longer a permanent employee of OPBD, and
4.2. Has undertaken nationally or internationally respected quality teaching or research, or
4.3. Has demonstrated innovative and strategically important leadership, or
4.4. Has made an outstanding contribution to the life and well-being of OPBD over and above normal duties, or
4.5. Has developed a dimension of OPBD in a new way, or
4.6. Has made a significant contribution on behalf of OPBD to industry, business, and trades or professions on committees which OPBD serves.
- 5. Honorary Degrees
The award of an Honorary degree (from OPBD’s suite of local degrees) for consideration may be granted to any person who:
5.1. Is not a current permanent employee of OPBD, and
5.2. Has made an outstanding professional contribution to one of OPBD committees, or a section of OPBD, or
5.3. Has made an outstanding contribution to the wider community.
- Specific Procedures
6.1. All communications and enquiries about honorary awards should be addressed to the Executive Director.
6.2. Nominations for the award of Emeritus Professor are made to the Executive Director who will bring the nomination to the OPBD Honours Committee for consideration.
6.3. Nominations for the conferring of an honorary award may be made by any two (2) persons, one (1) of whom shall be a member of Academic Committee and shall be made in confidence to the Executive Director who shall bring the nomination to the OPBD Honours Committee for consideration.
6.4. Each nomination shall be accompanied by a statement of the nominee’s background in relation to the stated criteria for the award.
6.5. The OPBD Honours Committee shall consider nominations and make recommendations to Te Pūkenga Council for the conferring of an award, and where appropriate the Executive Director will consult with the OPBD Executive Leadership Team.
6.6. Each honorary award shall be conferred by Te Pūkenga Council with any such decision to be made under Te Pūkenga approved procedures and criteria, for the conferring honorary degrees and recognition awards.
6.7. Any communication with proposed recipients of honorary degrees and recognition awards shall be conducted in confidence through the Office of the Executive Director.
6.8. In exceptional circumstances, Te Pūkenga have the authority to revoke any honorary degree or recognition award if deemed appropriate.
6.9. All honorary degrees and recognition awards will be conferred on recipients at Te Pūkenga graduation ceremonies, or at another appropriate ceremony within three (3) years of the award being approved by Te Pūkenga Council.
6.10. Recipients of Honorary Degrees and Recognition Awards will be entitled to:
- Use of OPBD facilities generally through the office of the Executive Director.
- Use of OPBD’s library facilities.
- Ongoing use of email facilities (former staff only).
- In the case of Emeritus Professor use the title.
- In the case of Honorary degrees.
- Wear the academic regalia for an honorary degree.
- Use the award title using the following format Approved Degree Abbreviation (Honorary, Te Pūkenga or OPBD) e.g., MFA (Honorary, Otago Polytechnic Business Division of Te Pūkenga)
6.11. The OPBD Honours Committee is responsible for considering nominations and for making recommendations to Te Pūkenga Council for the granting of any honorary degree or recognition award.
- Posthumous Awards – refer to TKM, Posthumous Awards, Section 7.7.
Emeritus Professor
Prof Khyla Russell – 2016
Dr Leoni Schmidt - 2024
Emeritus Associate Professor
Dr Linda Robertson - 2021
Emeritus Member of Otago Polytechnic Business Division
Ron McLeod – 2005
Rosemary Caulton – 2008
Dr Robin Day - 2011
Bridie Lonie – 2014
Dr Maxine Alterio – 2014
Ali’itasi (Tasi) Lemalu - 2017
Dr Jane Malthus - 2019
Honorary Degrees
Graham Crombie – Master of Design Enterprise - 2010
Margarita Robertson – Bachelor of Design (Fashion) - 2012
Huata Holmes – Master of Professional Practice - 2013
Michel Tuffery – Master of Fine Arts – 2014
Philip Ker – Doctor of Professional Practice - 2019
Policy Version: V9: Previously Coded: CP0006.