Board Honours Awards
The purpose of the policy is to regulate, guide and structure the process by which Otago Polytechnic Limited (Ltd) confers awards on persons of distinction in recognition of their extraordinary contribution to the Polytechnic and/or the wider community.
1. The Awards
Board, may confer awards as follows:
1.1 Emeritus Professor (includes Associate Professor and Professor);
1.2 Honorary Member of Otago Polytechnic Limited;
1.3 Emeritus Member of Otago Polytechnic Limited;
1.4 Honorary degrees.
2. Process
2.1 Board shall establish an Honours Committee which will make recommendations to the Board as to the conferring of Awards.
2.2 The Honours Committee shall have as members:
- Chair of Board or nominee
- Chief Executive or nominee
- An appointee of the Chief Executive appropriate to the nominee under consideration for the conferring of a Board honour
- The Convenor of the Staff Subcommittee of Board
The Chair or nominee shall chair all meetings of the Honours Committee.
2.3 The Honours Committee shall consider nominations and make recommendations to the Board, under Board approved procedures and criteria, for the conferring of an Award consistent with the following criteria:
2.3.1 Emeritus Professor
The award of the title Emeritus Professor may be granted to a retiring/retired professor who:
a. held the title of professor on retirement;
b. has made an outstanding/significant contribution to the life and wellbeing of the Polytechnic over and above normal duties, or
c. has undertaken nationally or internationally respected quality teaching or research, or
d. has demonstrated innovative and strategically important leadership, or
e. has developed a dimension of the Polytechnic in a new way, or
f. has made a significant contribution on behalf of the Polytechnic to industry, business, and trades or professions on committees which the Polytechnic serves.
2.3.2 Honorary Member of Otago Polytechnic Limited
The award of Honorary Member of the Otago Polytechnic Limited may be granted to any person who:
a. is not, nor has been a permanent employee of the Polytechnic, and
b. has made an outstanding contribution to the leadership or wellbeing of the Polytechnic through Board, one of the Polytechnic committees, or a section of the Polytechnic, or
c. has been a major benefactor to the Polytechnic, or
d. has made a distinguished contribution to the Polytechnic as a visitor, or
e. has developed a dimension of the Polytechnic in a new way.
2.3.3 Emeritus Member of the Otago Polytechnic Limited
The award of Emeritus Member of the Otago Polytechnic Limited may be granted to any person who:
a. has been and is no longer a permanent employee of the Polytechnic, and
b. has undertaken nationally or internationally respected quality teaching or research, or
c. has demonstrated innovative and strategically important leadership, or
d. has made an outstanding contribution to the life and wellbeing of the Polytechnic over and above normal duties, or
e. has developed a dimension of the Polytechnic in a new way, or
f. has made a significant contribution on behalf of the Polytechnic to industry, business, and trades or professions on committees which the Polytechnic serves.
2.3.4 Honorary degrees
The award of an Honorary degree (from the Polytechnic’s suite of degrees) may be granted to any person who:
a. is not a current permanent employee of the Polytechnic nor a current member of the Board, and
b. has made an outstanding professional contribution to the Polytechnic through the Board, one of the Polytechnic committees, or a section of the Polytechnic, or
c. has made an outstanding contribution to the wider community.
3. Specific Procedures
3.1 All communications and enquiries about honorary awards should be addressed to the Chair or Chief Executive via the Secretary to Board.
3.2 Nominations for the award of Emeritus Professor are made to the Chief Executive who will bring the nomination to the Honours Committee.
3.3 Nominations for the conferring of an honorary award may be made by any two persons, one of whom shall be a member of the Board or Academic Board and shall be made in confidence to the Chair or Chief Executive, who shall bring the nomination to the Honours Committee.
3.4 Each nomination shall be accompanied by a statement of the nominee’s background in relation to the stated criteria for the award.
3.5 The Honours Committee shall consider nominations and make recommendations to the Board for the conferring of an award, and where appropriate the Chair will consult with the Executive Leadership Team.
3.6 Each honorary award shall be conferred by the Board with any such decision to be made by two thirds of Board members present and voting.
3.7 Any communication with proposed recipients of honorary qualifications or awards shall be conducted in confidence through the Office of the Chief Executive.
3.8 In exceptional circumstances the Board will have the authority to revoke any honorary award if deemed appropriate.
3.9 All honorary awards will be conferred on recipients at graduation ceremonies, or at another appropriate ceremony within three years of the award being approved by the Board.
3.10 Recipients of Awards will be entitled to:
a. use of the Polytechnic facilities generally through the office of the Chief Executive
b. use of the Polytechnic’s library facilities
c. ongoing use of email facilities (former staff only)
d. in the case of Emeritus Professor use the title
e. in the case of Honorary degrees
o wear the academic regalia for an honorary degree
o use the award title using the following format Approved Degree Abbreviation
(Honorary, Otago Polytechnic Limited) e.g. MFA (Honorary, Otago Polytechnic Limited)
3.11 The Honours Committee is responsible for considering nominations and for making recommendations to the Board for the granting of any honorary award. The Board shall take such recommendations into consideration when deciding whether to confer an honorary award.
Board Honours list of recipients
Emeritus Professor
Prof Khyla Russell – 2016
Emeritus Member of Otago Polytechnic Limited
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
Approved by:
Adam La Hood
Chair: Otago Polytechnic Limited Board
01/06/2021
