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 Otago Polytechnic Ltd and/or the wider community.

1.          The Awards

Board, may confer awards as follows:

• Emeritus Professor (includes Associate Professor and Professor)
• Honorary Member of Otago Polytechnic Limited
• Emeritus Member of Otago Polytechnic Limited
• Honorary degrees.

2.          Process

• 2.1. Board shall establish an Honours Committee which will make recommendations to the Board as to the conferring of
• 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 the 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:

1. held the title of professor on retirement
2. has made an outstanding/significant contribution to the life and wellbeing of Otago Polytechnic Ltd over and above normal duties, or
3. has undertaken nationally or internationally respected quality teaching or research, or
4. has demonstrated innovative and strategically important leadership, or
5. has developed a dimension of Otago Polytechnic Ltd in a new way, or
6. has made a significant contribution on behalf of Otago Polytechnic Ltd to industry, business, and trades or professions on committees which Otago Polytechnic Ltd 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:

1. is not, nor has been a permanent employee of Otago Polytechnic Ltd, and
2. has made an outstanding contribution to the leadership or wellbeing of Otago Polytechnic Ltd through Board, one of Otago Polytechnic Ltd committees, or a section of Otago Polytechnic Ltd, or
3. has been a major benefactor to Otago Polytechnic Ltd, or
4. has made a distinguished contribution to Otago Polytechnic Ltd as a visitor, or
5. has developed a dimension of Otago Polytechnic Ltd 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:

1. has been and is no longer a permanent employee of Otago Polytechnic Ltd, and
2. has undertaken nationally or internationally respected quality teaching or research, or
3. has demonstrated innovative and strategically important leadership, or
4. has made an outstanding contribution to the life and wellbeing of Otago Polytechnic Ltd over and above normal duties, or
5. has developed a dimension of Otago Polytechnic Ltd in a new way, or
6. has made a significant contribution on behalf of Otago Polytechnic Ltd to industry, business, and trades or professions on committees which Otago Polytechnic Ltd serves.

2.3.4. Honorary Degrees

The award of an Honorary degree (from Otago Polytechnic Ltd’s suite of degrees) may be granted to any person who:

1. is not a current permanent employee of Otago Polytechnic Ltd nor a current member of the Board, and
2. has made an outstanding professional contribution to Otago Polytechnic Ltd through the Board, one of Otago Polytechnic Ltd committees, or a section of Otago Polytechnic Ltd, or
3. 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 the 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 (2) persons, one (1) of whom shall be a member of the Board or Academic Committee 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 Director’s 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 (3) years of the award being approved by the Board.
• 3.10. Recipients of Awards will be entitled to:

1. use of Otago Polytechnic Ltd facilities generally through the office of the Chief Executive
2. use of Otago Polytechnic Ltd’s library facilities
3. ongoing use of email facilities (former staff only)
4. in the case of Emeritus Professor use the title
5. 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, 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.

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
026/05/2022

Policy Version: V6: Previously Coded: CP0006.