Posthumous Degree

A deceased student may be awarded an honorary posthumous degree with departmental approval, and when minimum academic degree requirements have been verified. Honorary posthumous degrees may be awarded at the undergraduate or graduate level.  For deceased students in good academic standing who do not meet the criteria for an honorary posthumous degree, a certificate of accomplishment may be awarded. In rare circumstances, when completing a degree is impossible due to terminal illness, an honorary posthumous degree may be provided to a student who is living.

Requirements for Nomination

1. A student must have been in good academic standing with the institution at the time of death. Good standing is defined as maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards without sanctions of dismissal or expulsion.

2. The student must have been enrolled at the time of death (summer semesters excluded) unless their enrollment was interrupted by their injury, illness, deployment, or other extenuating circumstance.

3. A student must have completed three-quarters of degree requirements to be nominated for an honorary posthumous degree.

4. If these requirements are not met, RCU can elect to provide a certificate of accomplishment indicating that the student was in good standing at the time of death.

Nomination/Approval Process for a Posthumous Honorary Degree

1. A formal request for an honorary posthumous degree can come from a family member or a member of the campus community and should be forwarded to the registrar (registrar@RochesterU.edu) to begin the process for consideration.

2. The registrar will send the chair of the student’s program the student’s degree audit for faculty consultation.

3. The chair will recommend the candidate for an honorary posthumous degree in the form of a written request to their dean. 

4. The dean will inform the immediate family of the university’s decision and desire to recognize their student. Seating will be reserved for the family during commencement and the dean will invite a family member to walk without regalia in the student’s place. 

5. The dean will notify the registrar to begin the process for degree posting and commencement proceedings, if applicable.

All steps in this process should occur expeditiously so that the family can be informed as soon after the death as possible. The decision of the dean is final and not open for appeal.

Miscellaneous Considerations

1. An honorary posthumous degree will be printed in the commencement program. 

2. Exceptions to the aforementioned minimum requirements may be considered in special cases, with department support.

3. The student’s transcript will clearly indicate that the degree was an honorary degree, awarded posthumously, but this language is not necessary for the commencement program and diploma.

4. If the family chooses not to participate in commencement, the award may still be read during the ceremony (unless requested otherwise by the family). 

Certificate of Accomplishment

Any student in good academic standing at the time of death is eligible for a certificate of accomplishment upon the request of a family member or any member of the campus community.  The registrar will verify the student's standing and issue the certificate to the family.