Policies & Procedures

Administrative Procedure: 3109

AWARDING OF A DEGREE POSTHUMOUSLY

Criteria

A deceased student who may or may not have completed all requirements for a degree at the time of death may be awarded a degree posthumously, upon consideration of the following criteria:

• At least 50% of all course requirements for the degree must have been completed;

• Residency requirements must have been established;

• The student must have been in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of 2.000 or higher, for all courses in the degree program;

• The student was in good standing financially; and

• The student had no student code violations.

A member of the armed forces killed in the line of duty who was an active College student at the time of death or an inactive student due to deployment at the time of death, will receive a posthumous degree without regard to required criteria.

Process

All members of the College community are encouraged to notify the Registrar or Vice President, Chief Student Affairs Officer upon learning of the death of a student. Nomination for posthumous degree may be made in writing by any member of the College community and submitted to the appropriate dean who will confirm with the Vice President that the student meets the criteria as set forth above. With the approval of the Chief Academic Officer, a recommendation will be made to the President that the posthumous degree be conferred.

Presentation/Graduation

After the posthumous degree has been approved, the Registrar may mail the diploma to a family member, or, if desired, given to the dean or other appropriate College official for presentation in a private gathering as a special gesture to the family. A family member may choose to receive the diploma on the student’s behalf at the commencement ceremony. The degree will be posted on the student’s permanent record as “Degree Conferred Posthumously”.

Special Consideration

In an extraordinary case of a terminally ill student, the family may be informed of the College’s decision to award the degree posthumously before the student dies. College official(s) may present the diploma in a private gathering as a special gesture to the family and student. Only after the death of the student will the degree be awarded and the actual diploma prepared and given to the family.

Reaffirmed: 04/18/23

References:

Rowan College of South Jersey Board of Trustees Policy, 3109 Awarding of a Degree

Posthumously