PROCEDURES FOR POLICY NO: 1-13
VCCS POLICY NO: 5.1.7
EFFECTIVE DATE: 05/05/2009
REVISED DATE: 09/28/2023

  1. Purpose:

    To provide the college guidance on the criteria and process for awarding degrees and certificates to students who pass away during their enrollment.

  2. Procedure and/or Process Definitions:

    N/A

  3. Procedures:

    1. Upon notice of a student death, a faculty or staff member may petition the Registrar's Office for a review of the student's record, to determine if the student qualifies for a posthumous award.

    2. If eligible, the Registrar's Office will forward the student's information to the appropriate academic dean.

    3. The academic dean will review the information and submit a request to the vice president of academic affairs, who will forward the request to the President's Executive Cabinet. All requests should be made by April 1 of the academic year.

    4. The President's Executive Cabinet will review and make a recommendation to the college president. Once a decision is made, the vice president of academic affairs will inform the academic dean of the decision.

    5. The President's Office will communicate the decision on approvals to the Registrar's Office for implementation, which will consist of communication to the family of the approval and procedures during commencement.

    6. The Registrar's Office will add the student's name along with a "posthumous" designation to the graduation lists and commencement program.

    7. The Registrar's Office will prepare a diploma to be presented to the student's family.

  4. Other Information:

    N/A