The Underwood Law Library at SMU is the largest private university law library in the Southwestern United States

HONORARY DEGREES
Southern Methodist University

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The List of Recipients can be viewed

Alphabetically                By Date Degree Voted            By Degree Conferred

History
In 1470 the University of Oxford began the tradition of recognizing persons of significance to to the institution by conferring an honorary degree on Lionel Woodville.  In the United States the conferring of honorary degrees dates to just prior to the American Revolution.  Princeton University recognized Jonathan Belcher with its first honorary degree in 1748.  Harvard University followed in 1753 by honoring Benjamin Franklin.

Honoris causa ad gradum, Latin for "Honorary Degree" is described as a "decorative" degree rather than an earned designation.  Although most recipients are conferred a doctoral degree, bachelor's and master's degrees also may be given.

Each institution determines its own criteria for recognition.  The University of Cambridge makes all staff eligible for an honorary master's degree after five years of service.  Customarily person holding an honorary doctorate do not use the title of "Doctor" and on documents place the designation Honoris causa, Honorary, or h.c. after the degree.  In former British commonwealth countries it has become customary to confer an LLD or HonD instead of a PhD to honorary degree recipients. 

 

The Tradition at SMU
Southern Methodist University conferred its first honorary degrees in 1918.  Marvin Graves and Morris Sheppard were given the degree of Doctor of Laws.  The University has conferred over 250 honorary degrees in our 90 year history.

The recipients have been President's of SMU - Boaz, Selecman, Tate; they have been common names around the campus - McFarlin, Fondren, Meadows, Perkins, DeGoyler, Heroy, Hawk, Story, Karcher, Ford, Hammon.  SMU has recognized the partnership with Dallas by recognizing individuals important to Dallas and SMU - Dealey, Kiest, Munger, Hoblitzell, Nasher; Mayor Annette Strauss, Judge Sarah T. Hughes, businessmen Thomas Branif and Stanley Marcus.  Two Texan U.S. Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and George H. W. Bush as well as first Lady Lady Bird Johnson, Governor William Clements and Congresswoman Barbara Jordon.  Alumni who have gained renowned have been recognized -- pioneering Attorney Louis Raggio, Academy Award Winning Actress Kathy Bates, and Noble Prize winner James Cronin.  World leaders have received honorary degrees -- Ramsey Clark and King Juan Carlos of Spain.  The list is diverse including the Archbishop of Canterbury to Author Eudora Welty to Children's Rights Activist Marion Wright Edleman to Conductor Eduardo Mata to businessman Ross Perot and feminist publisher Gloria Steinem.

The Process of Conferring an Honorary Degree
The Honorary Degrees Committee recommends nominees for Honorary Degrees to the Faculty Senate.  The membership of the committee shall not be announced publicly.  Communication to it shall be made through the Secretary of the Faculty Senate.

The Secretary of the Faculty Senate on behalf of the Committee shall seek nominations from all segments of the University - students, faculty, administration, trustees, alumni.  The Secretary shall do this, formally and annually, by written communication to the members or elected ofices of each segment and, if possible, by public announcement in appropriate places.  All nominations made to the Committee shall be seriously considered if accompanied by sufficient supporting data.  The identity of nominators shall not normally be conveyed to the members of the Committee.

The Committee shall not rely merely on recommendations made to it but shall seek energetically on its own to find names of persons deserving honor from the University.  The Committee shall be guided in its decisions by the Statement of Policy adopted by the Faculty Senate. 

The Affirmative votes of six members are required for the nomination of Honorary Degrees to be submitted to the Senate.