To Members of the Columbia University Community:
The Trustees and the Executive Committee of the University Senate invite you to nominate candidates for Columbia University honorary degrees and the University Medal for Excellence, which will be awarded at Commencement 2016.
Please attach current, in-depth biographical and background information (see example below) to each nomination form. We also request that you include a letter of nomination stating why your proposed candidate(s) should receive a University honor.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Jonathan D. Schiller, Chair of the Trustees
Sharyn O'Halloran, Chair of the Executive Committee of the University Senate
HONORS AND PRIZES
Office of the Secretary, Columbia University
211 Low Memorial Library
535 West 116 Street, Mail Code 4324
New York, NY 10027
NOMINATIONS MUST INCLUDE CURRENT AND IN-DEPTH BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
SAMPLE FORMAT FOR BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION:
Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet and
Former Poet Laureate of the United States
Year of birth: 1952
Place of birth: Akron, Ohio
Education: Oberlin College, B.A., 1974; Universität Tübingen (Germany), postgraduate, 1974 – 1975; University of Iowa, MFA, 1977
Honorary degree(s): Miami University, 1988; Knox College, 1989; Tuskegee University, 1994; University of Miami, 1994; Washington University, 1994; Case Western Reserve University, 1994; University of Akron, 1994; Arizona State University, 1995; Boston College, 1995; Dartmouth College, 1995; Spelman College, 1996; University of Pennsylvania, 1996; University of North Carolina, 1997; University of Notre Dame, 1997; Northeastern University, 1997
Nominator(s): Alan Stone, Vice President for Public Affairs
Basis for nomination: Nomination letter is attached.
Background information (professional):
Arizona State University, assistant professor (1981-1984); associate professor (1984 – 1987); professor (1987 – 1989)
Library of Congress, U.S. Poet Laureate/Consultant in Poetry (1993-1995)
University of Virginia, professor (1989-1993); Commonwealth Professor of English (1993 – present)
Author: Ten Poems (1977), The Only Dark Spot in the Sky (1980), The Yellow House on the Corner (1980), Mandolin (1982), Museum (1983), Fifth Sunday (1985), Thomas and Beulah (1986), The Other Side of the House (1988), Grace Notes (1989), Through the Ivory Gate (1992), Lady Freedom Among Us (1994), The Darker Face of the Earth (1994), Mother Love (1995), The Poet’s World (1995)
Honors and awards: Fulbright Scholar, Universität Tübingen (1974-75); National Endowment for the Arts, Creative Writing Fellow (1978 and 1989); Portia Pittman Fellow, National Endowment for the Humanities, Tuskegee Institute (1982); Guggenheim Fellow (1983-84); Lavan Younger Poet Award, the Academy of American Poets (1986); Callaloo Award (1986); Pulitzer Prize in poetry (1987); Bellagio Residency, The Rockefeller Foundation (1988); Mellon Fellow, National Humanities Center (1988-89); Ohioan Award (1990); Phi Beta Kappa poet, Harvard University (1993); NAACP Great American Artist Award (1993); Virginia College Stores Book Award (1993); Carl Sandburg Award, International Platform Association (1994); Golden Plate Award, American Academy of Achievement (1994); Renaissance Forum Award, Folger, Shakespeare Library (1994)
CANDIDATE:
PRESENT POSITION:
CANDIDATE’S ADDRESS:
DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH:
EDUCATION:
HONORARY DEGREES RECEIVED (university and year):
PROPOSED UNIVERSITY HONOR (please check one):
Honorary Degree University Medal for Excellence
NOMINATOR:
NOMINATOR’S ADDRESS:
JUSTIFICATION (Major Accomplishments):
NOTE: Please state why your proposed candidate should receive a University honor. Also, please provide the Committees with current, in-depth biographical and background information.
______________________________
Signature of Nominator
Professor Emeritus/Emerita:
To be awarded to an outstanding professor emeritus/emerita of Columbia University
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Honorary degrees were first awarded in 1758. Honorees do not need to be graduates of Columbia University. No honorary degree or University Medal for Excellence will be awarded to any person who is a full-time regular officer of the University.
The University Medal for Excellence was first awarded in 1929. The current practice is to award one Medal per year at Commencement to an alumnus or alumna. Hence, graduates from all divisions of the University, including Barnard College and Teachers College, are eligible for the Medal. The candidate must be a person under 45 years of age whose record in scholarship, public service, and/or professional life is outstanding.
Neither the University Medal for Excellence nor honorary degrees are awarded in absentia.