Every year, the CSU Chancellor’s Office invites each CSU to submit a nominee (or two) to be considered as a recipient of a CSU honorary doctorate, awarded by the CSU Board of Trustees.

The CSUN nominee(s) for this honor should be individuals who exemplify CSUN’s commitment to academic excellence and dedication to student achievement.

In the first phase of the nomination process, submit an email suggesting an individual for the honorary degree. Please include the name, title and institutional affiliation of the nominee, along with two or three paragraphs about the nominee’s scholarly and creative achievements, and your reasons for nominating that individual. Be sure to mention any connection the nominee may have with CSUN and its faculty, if such a relationship exists. If you have links to a biography, website or the like, include them.

Send your nomination to Randy Reynaldo, Office of the President, who is providing administrative support to the screening committee, at randy.reynaldo@csun.edu. The committee will review the nominees. The finalist/s selected for CSUN will be forwarded to the Chancellor’s Office for consideration by the CSU Board of Trustees. We will then seek more detailed information as required by the CSU.

The deadline for first round nominations is October 18, 2013.

Anyone is welcome to make a nomination – deans, associate deans, chairs, program leads, faculty members, staff members, students, administrators at all levels and CSUN alumni.

What are we looking for? First and foremost, the nominee should be a true thought leader and major contributor in their respective fields, in an academic, creative, professional or civic fields of importance to CSUN. The field should be one represented in CSUN’s current academic programs, areas of research and creative expression, and/or community development commitments. Ideally, the nominee should be someone recognized as a leader in his/her field. It should be someone whose published work has inspired many in the field and would inspire others (CSUN faculty, students, staff, alumni and members of the larger regional community), should he/she receive the CSUN honorary degree and be invited to CSUN. This honorary degree should reflect the caliber of work that CSUN holds in high regard. The awardee should be an exemplar of what CSUN represents. The nominee should reflect the larger national and/or international community of scholarship, creative expression, professional practice and civic leadership.

Second, it would be an advantage if the nominee were a model of significant success despite many life challenges. It would inspire CSUN students if the outstanding leader recognized with an honorary degree faced challenges similar to many CSUN students – such as socioeconomic disadvantages, first-generation college student, political and cultural conflict or similar circumstances. They would model the values, resiliency and willingness to work hard that we hope to see in the CSUN academic community.

Finally, while not required, it would be valuable if the nominee had a relationship with CSUN. A CSUN alum or supporter would be ideal. Perhaps it is someone who has worked collaboratively with a CSUN faculty member, who was the mentor of a CSUN faculty member, who has shared artistic work at CSUN, who has visited CSUN as a speaker, or who has a connection to a current CSUN student, faculty member or administrator.

In making a nomination, you should aim high and not worry about whether or not the nominee will accept the honor and/or come to CSUN. CSUN has awarded a good number of honorary degrees over the years. Please do not nominate someone who has already received such an honor (one per customer). To check the list, go to www.csun.edu/ua/honorary_degrees.htm.

The formal criteria for the CSU honorary degree finalists is available here (PDF).

For questions about first round nominations, email Dean Joyce Feucht-Haviar, chair of the screening committee, at deanjoyce@csun.edu.