Earlham College not only believes in publicly recognizing superior achievement by its students and faculty members but also thinks it appropriate from time to time to reward distinguished achievement in the nation’s life by the conferring of honorary degrees on persons outside the college community. In keeping with the historic Quaker position that the demands of our daily life in the world must not be held incompatible with the aspirations of mind and spirit, Earlham aims to confer degrees not only for academic accomplishment but also for distinction in non-academic fields: the professions, the arts, business and public life.

The procedure for the nomination of candidates shall be as follows:

1. The teaching members of the faculty shall assume chief responsibility for nominating candidates from the academic and professional fields.
2. The administrative members of the faculty shall assume chief responsibility for nominating candidates from business and from public life.
3. Nominations of both kinds shall be presented to the Faculty Affairs Committee, which shall send its recommendations to the faculty for approval. Since nominations shall be approved by the Board at its meeting early in February each year, they should be brought to the faculty before the end of the fall term so that its decisions will not be made under pressure of time.

The following principles, adopted originally by the faculty in 1948 but amended, are to govern the selection of candidates for honorary degrees:

1. Degrees must be awarded sparingly. They should occasionally be bestowed at times other than Commencement so that recipients may perhaps remain for a time on campus and be an influence on the whole college community.
2. A person who seeks an honorary degree from Earlham is disqualified.
3. Although candidates selected should be persons to whom it is peculiarly appropriate that Earlham grant the degree, this does not imply that they must of necessity be persons who have previously had association with the college.
4. Although it is understood that outstanding services to Earlham College may be given consideration in evaluating an individual’s total significance, the recipient of a degree should generally be recognized nationally or internationally for significant contributions in their field. Occasionally the recipient’s reputation may be only local or regional. What is essential is that the recipient have do something of signal worth and demonstrated not only the ideals of character which Earlham reveres but also unusual qualities of intelligence and high regard for things of the mind.

Clerical Notes

• September 22, 2026: In the final section (number 4), text amended from “…significant contributions in his field” to “significant contributions in their field,” and “Occasionally his or her reputation may…” to “Occasionally the recipient’s reputation may…”
• February 8, 1963: Approved by the Earlham Board of Trustees, through the Education Committee

Policy specifications