AUSTRALIAN MARITIME COLLEGE
HONORARY DEGREE RULES
Pursuant to the Courses and Awards Statute the Council hereby makes the following Rules, approved on the
(a) repeals the “Honorary Degree Rules” made on the twentieth day of November 1997; and
(b) makes the following Rules
Given under the Seal of the Australian Maritime College this sixteenth day of September 1999
N.J.Otway
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Principal
Andrew Neeson
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Registrar
1 Citation
These Rules may be cited as the Honorary Degree Rules.
2 Interpretation
In these Rules, unless the contrary intention appears:
“Board” means Academic Board
“Council” means the AMC Council
3 Honorary Degrees
3.1 The Council may admit to the honorary degree of Doctor of the College a person certified by the Board as worthy to be admitted on the ground of distinguished creative achievement as a scholar in the maritime field, on the grounds of distinguished contribution or service to the AMC, or for exceptional service to the maritime industry.
3.2 A proposal for the admission of a person to an honorary degree under this rule must be addressed and delivered to the Registrar who must transmit each proposal to the Council for consideration and acceptance or refusal.
4 Proposals for Admission
4.1 A proposal for the admission of a person to an honorary degree:
(a) must be in writing signed by two proposers who must be members of the Board or the Council and who must express personal support for the proposal; and
(b) must give the reasons that make it appropriate that the person proposed should be admitted to an honorary degree of the AMC; and
(c) must contain supporting information.
5 Role of Board and Council
When the Council accepts a proposal for admission to an honorary degree, the Registrar must seek, in the case of all proposals based on scholarly merit, a certification by the Board that the person proposed is worthy to be so admitted. For situations where the Award is based on distinguished contribution or service to the AMC or the maritime industry, it will be sufficient for the Council to decide on the merits of the proposal.
6 Conferring of Degree
6.1 The Council may, by resolution, admit to an honorary degree a person in respect of whom the Council has received a proposal.
6.2 Where the Council admits a person to an honorary degree, it may authorise the Chairperson of Council or such other member of the Council as it determines, to confer the honorary degree on behalf of the AMC at such time and in such place as is convenient to both the AMC and the recipient.
6.3 Honorary degrees are not to be conferred in absentia.
Overview
The Australian Maritime College Honorary Degree Rules, enacted in 1999, were established to provide a clear framework for the awarding of honorary degrees by the Australian Maritime College (AMC). These rules were designed to address the need for a formal process to recognise distinguished individuals in the maritime field, as well as those who have made significant contributions to the AMC or the maritime industry. The Council of the Australian Maritime College, in exercising its legislative powers under the Courses and Awards Statute, created these rules to ensure that the process of awarding honorary degrees is both transparent and merit-based. The policy objective underpinning these rules is to honour individuals who have made exceptional contributions in their respective fields, thereby maintaining the prestige and integrity of the AMC's academic awards.
Scope and Application
The Australian Maritime College Honorary Degree Rules apply to the procedures and criteria for the conferral of honorary degrees by the Australian Maritime College. These rules apply to the College Council and Academic Board, which are responsible for proposing and endorsing individuals for honorary degrees based on scholarly merit, distinguished service to the College or maritime industry, or exceptional service to the maritime industry. The rules establish a formal process for submitting proposals for honorary degrees, which must be supported by two members of the Board or Council and include reasons and supporting information. The Council is responsible for considering and accepting or refusing the proposals, and for authorising the conferral of the degrees. The rules do not specify any exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds for eligibility for honorary degrees, leaving that determination to the discretion of the College Council. The rules also do not extend or restrict application through subordinate instruments. The rules apply to the Australian Maritime College and its Council and Academic Board.
Key Provisions
The Australian Maritime College Honorary Degree Rules (sections 1-6) outline the process for the admission of individuals to honorary degrees, specifying the criteria and procedural requirements. Section 3.1 allows the Council to admit individuals to the honorary degree of Doctor of the College based on distinguished creative achievement in the maritime field, distinguished contribution or service to the AMC, or exceptional service to the maritime industry. Section 3.2 mandates that proposals for honorary degrees must be submitted in writing, signed by two proposers who are members of the Board or Council, and include reasons and supporting information justifying the nominee's eligibility. Section 4 further details the content and submission process for these proposals, requiring that they be delivered to the Registrar for consideration by the Council.
The obligations imposed by these Rules on the parties involved are primarily procedural. The Board and Council have specific roles in the evaluation and approval of proposals for honorary degrees. According to Section 5, when a proposal is based on scholarly merit, the Board must certify the nominee’s worthiness, while the Council retains the authority to decide on proposals based on contribution or service. The Registrar is responsible for transmitting proposals to the Council and ensuring the process adheres to the specified requirements. Section 6 outlines the Council’s authority to admit individuals to honorary degrees and delegate the conferral of these degrees to an appropriate Council member.
Breaches of these Rules may not be explicitly detailed within the provided text, but the consequences for non-compliance would likely involve procedural errors or improper admissions. Although specific penalties are not mentioned, any failure to follow the stipulated procedures could result in the invalidity of the honorary degree conferral or other administrative repercussions as deemed appropriate by the Council or the Board. The strict adherence to these Rules ensures that the integrity and prestige of the honorary degrees are maintained within the Australian Maritime College.