Policy on non-academic honorary degrees and fellowships

A Scope

This policy applies to all non-academic honorary titles and awards overseen by the Constitution and Nominations Committee (and formerly by the Nominations Committee/ the Honorary Associations Committee), ie Honorary Degrees and Morrell Fellowships.

The following are out of scope:

• Academic honorary titles (Emeritus Professor/Reader, Honorary Professor/Fellow, Honorary Visiting Professor/Fellow), approved by Senate.
• The honorary posts of Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor.
• Donors recognised through the University’s giving circles (for example, the College of Benefactors), including through naming recognition: these are covered under the University’s Philanthropy and Recognition Naming Policy and Process (PDF , 271kb) and the Philanthropy and Recognition Due Diligence Policy 2023 (PDF , 275kb).

B Nominations and awards

B.1 Under its Charter of Incorporation, the University has powers ‘to award... honorary degrees and other distinctions, and to withdraw such awards for good reason’ (University Charter, Article 4.a). The award of honorary degrees, presented at the graduation ceremonies, is a regular feature of University business; in addition, between 2007 and 2017, the University awarded Morrell Fellowships to major benefactors of the University of York.

B.2 Honorary degrees

B.2.1 Ordinance 17 sets out further provision for the award of honorary degrees as follows:

• 17.1 The University may confer honorary degrees to recognise extraordinary individuals who represent the University’s vision, values and excellence and will inspire its current students and staff, graduating students, alumni and wider community of supporters.
• 17.2 In accordance with Article 4a of the Charter, the University may, without examination, confer an honorary degree of Master or Doctor in any subject on any person whom it may deem worthy of such a distinction; provided that the holder of such an honorary degree shall not be entitled to practise any profession by virtue of such conferment.
• 17.3 No person shall be admitted by the University to an honorary degree unless that person’s name has been approved for that purpose by the Council on the nomination of the Council, with Senate represented through academic membership on the Constitution and Nominations Committee of Council.

B.2.2 Nominations may be put forward by members of Council, Heads of Academic Departments/Schools and Centres (on behalf of their Department/School or Centre), members of staff, students, or alumni (via the York Global Alumni Association). Departments/Schools and Centres are encouraged to put forward at least one nomination for consideration in each nomination round, in addition to and equally weighted with those put forward by individual members of the University.

B.2.3 The Committee considers all nominations in accordance with the University’s Equal Opportunities policies, and in the context of

• broad academic areas, e.g. sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities
• an international perspective.

B.2.4.1 Nominated individuals must:

• demonstrate distinction beyond their paid role
• demonstrate either a link to the University or the opportunity to forge a new relationship of mutual benefit. In the case of the latter, the nominator should specify what this opportunity is.

B.2.4.2 Nominated individuals should:

• represent and reflect the diverse communities and cultures within the University and beyond; and/or
• reflect the international outlook and ambitions of the University; and/or
• reflect the interdisciplinary approach of the University.

B.2.4.3 Distinction can be achieved:

• by our own alumni
• in a field of specific academic or professional interest to a department or to the University
• by people associated with the City of York and the wider region
• in a field consistent with the general ethos of universities as a place of education, learning, achievement and free enquiry
• through activities which resonate with the University’s commitment to public good
• as an innovator or entrepreneur.

B.2.4.4 Nomination submissions must clearly demonstrate how the individual meets the above criteria.

B.2.5 The University does not award honorary degrees to current members of staff or serving politicians.

B.2.6 The nominations procedure is managed by the External Relations team, with committee support provided by the Governance and Assurance Office. Nominations are invited for consideration by the Constitution and Nominations Committee at least once per year, via a standard form.

B.2.7 The External Relations team undertakes due diligence, as set out in the University’s Due Diligence Policy and Process, on all nominations shortlisted by the Constitution and Nominations Committee, prior to recommendation to Council for award.

B.3 Morrell Fellowships

Morrell Fellowships were awarded between 2007 and 2017 to recognise a small community of benefactors who made a significant contribution to the life and fabric of the University, and to ensure that their names and achievements were core to the formal history of the University and forever associated with the highest standards of philanthropy.

The Fellowships were conferred by Council on recommendation of the Nominations Committee (prior to the transfer of the non-academic honorary titles and awards portfolio to Honorary Associations Committee, and from thence to the Constitution and Nominations Committee). 

C Revocation of honorary degrees and fellowships

C.1 The University expects that the actions and behaviours of award-holders are consistent with its vision and values and do not impact negatively on the University’s work or its reputation.

While due diligence is undertaken on shortlisted candidates, it is recognised that information may subsequently come to light or events occur which call into question the University’s decision to honour an individual or body in this way. The following section sets out the policy and procedure for addressing such situations, and, where necessary, for revoking an honorary degree or fellowship.

C.2 Policy

C.2.1 Under Ordinance 17.4, ‘In exceptional circumstances, the Council may revoke an honorary degree, honorary fellowship or other academic honorary titles where the actions and behaviours of award-holders are inconsistent with the University vision and values and may impact negatively on the University’s work or its reputation.’

C.2.2 Honorary degrees or fellowships are revoked by Council on recommendation of the Constitution and Nominations Committee, the latter having undertaken a formal review of the available information.

Further procedures for review and revocation are set out in Section C.3 below.

C.2.3 The award of honorary degrees and fellowships will only be reviewed in exceptional circumstances, where substantive information relating to the actions and/or behaviour of the individual or body concerned has emerged subsequent to conferment of the award, which potentially:

(a) calls into question the original rationale for conferring the award; and/or

(b) constitutes an abuse of the rights and privileges associated with the award; and/or

(c) runs counter to the University’s stated mission and values or otherwise undermines its work; and /or

(d) risks significant damage to the reputation of the University and its stakeholders.

The new information may relate to historical, recent or contemporary events. It includes conviction for a serious criminal offence, or being struck off by a professional body.

C.2.4 In line with the University’s commitment to academic freedom and to freedom of speech within the law, ideological difference with members of the University community or with the University’s stakeholders is not in and of itself grounds for review or revocation. There must be a substantive case which explicitly addresses the criteria set out in paragraph C.2.3 above.

C.2.5 Constitution and Nominations Committee will make a recommendation to Council for revocation of a Honorary Degree or Fellowship where it judges, on the basis of the available information, that one or more of the criteria (a) – (d) in paragraph C.2.3 above have been met.

C.2.6 In forming a judgement, Constitution and Nominations Committee will take into account the situation and societal context and values (i) at the time of conferment of the degree or fellowship and (ii) of the era from which the new information dates. However, neither of these factors will necessarily be accepted as a basis for exoneration, particularly where the behaviour is judged to be egregious in the light of contemporary values and understanding.

C.2.7 Honorary degrees and fellowships will only be reviewed or revoked posthumously in exceptional circumstances.

C.3 Procedure

C.3.1 Key principles

(a) The University Secretary is responsible for overseeing the operation of the following procedure, including appropriate record-keeping, supported by the Governance and Assurance Office. The procedure should be completed quickly and robustly, with committee business conducted outside the formal calendar of meetings as necessary, including by written resolution.

(b) Confidentiality must be maintained as far as possible by all parties regarding all stages of the procedure, with the exception of any public statements issued by the Director of External Relations and Head of Media Relations in consultation and agreement with the Vice-Chancellor and the University Secretary (see C.3.5 below). This includes all relevant committee deliberations.

C.3.2 Initiating a review

(a) Requests to review of the award of an honorary degree or fellowship may be submitted by staff, students or others working under the auspices of the University; or by individuals or organisations external to the University. Proposals must be submitted in writing to the University Secretary. In order to deter vexatious requests, anonymous submissions will not be accepted; however, the identity of the party/parties concerned will be protected as far as is possible and reasonable throughout the review procedure. Proposals must provide substantive grounds for review, supported by appropriate evidence, with reference to the criteria set out in Section C.2 above.

(b) The University Secretary will assess whether or not there is a prima facie case for review in accordance with this Policy. Where an adequate case for review has been made, further investigation and due diligence will be undertaken as appropriate by OPPA and by the Governance and Assurance Office. This will include identifying - for information only at this stage - any other institutions who have a relationship with the award-holder in question.

(c) The proposal for review, along with the information gathered under C.3.2(b) above, will be referred by the University Secretary to the Constitution and Nominations Committee for further consideration. The University Secretary will inform those who originally submitted the proposal of the outcome of this stage as appropriate.

C.3.3 Review procedure

(a) The Constitution and Nominations Committee (or a representative sub-group thereof with a minimum of three members, and including at least one academic representative) will review the case with reference to the criteria set out in Section C.2. Further advice, evidence and/or verification will be sought as necessary from other members of the University and externally, supported by the Governance & Assurance Office, with additional support from OPPA as needed.

(b) The Constitution and Nominations Committee (or sub-group thereof), supported by the Governance & Assurance Office, will prepare a draft report on the evidence reviewed and the Committee’s findings, prior to making a recommendation to Council on whether to uphold or withdraw the award. The award-holder (or the award-holder’s estate if deceased) will be given the opportunity to respond to the draft report and its findings within a reasonable time frame. Comments may also be sought from other interested parties as appropriate to the case.

(c) Having reviewed any submissions from the award-holder and/or other interested parties, the Committee (or sub-group thereof) will agree a formal recommendation to Council on whether to uphold or withdraw the award, with reference to the criteria for revocation set out in Section C.2. The Committee, supported by the Governance and Assurance Office, will submit a final report, (i) summarising the evidence reviewed and the Committee’s findings and (ii) setting out the formal recommendation, to Council for consideration, with the submissions from the award-holder and/or other interested parties appended for information. Where the review has been conducted by a sub-group, this information will also be circulated to the full Constitution and Nominations Committee for information.

C.3.4 Decision by Council

(a) Council will review the report from Constitution and Nominations Committee and will decide by formal resolution whether or not to approve the report’s recommendation. Where necessary, Council may request further information or exploration of the issue, to be undertaken by the Chair of the Constitution and Nominations Committee (or sub-group thereof), supported by the Governance and Assurance Office and/or OPPA as appropriate, before a formal resolution is made.

(b) The decision of Council is final and there is no right of appeal.

C.3.5 Communication of the outcome

(a) On behalf of the Chair of Council, the University Secretary and the Director of External Relations will identify those stakeholders who need to be informed of the outcome, and prepare communications accordingly. This may include as appropriate:

(i) the award-holder;

(ii) any interested parties who commented on the draft report;

(iii) those parties who submitted the original proposals for review;

(iv) other institutions who have a relationship with the award-holder in question (cf C3.2.(b) above);

(v) any external reporting which might be required given the particular circumstances (for example, to the OfS).

(b) The University’s Director of External Relations and Head of Media Relations are responsible for handling any public statements in consultation and agreement with the Vice-Chancellor and the University Secretary, giving due consideration to the public interest. This should be co-ordinated appropriately with the communications set out under C.3.5 (a) above.

(c) Council’s decision must be formally reported to Constitution and Nominations Committee.

Approved by Council on the recommendation of Constitution and Nominations Committee: 3 March 2021, rev. January 2022; February 2023; April 2024

Review cycle: Three years