53-15 Academic Honors and Awards Ceremony

Procedure Description

Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is to establish guidelines for identifying academic honor students, for the selection of academic honor awardees, and for the ceremony of awarding the honors.

Procedure

I. Introduction

Academic honorees and selected scholarship recipients will be recognized during the spring semester.

Students who complete 12 or more credit hours and attain a 3.0 GPA or higher for the fall semester may be eligible for a variety of academic honors. Specific eligibility criteria for the academic honor awards are listed in paragraph IV, section A. Qualified students will be notified of their eligibility to receive an academic award and the action a student must take to be considered for an award.

II. Award Eligibility Notification

Each year, during the first week of March, academic award(s) and student recognition notification letters will be emailed to eligible students by the Student Life Office stating the award(s) recognition(s) for which the student has been nominated to receive. If the student chooses to be recognized at the Honors Award Ceremony, then he/she must respond to the RSVP-Registration Link provided in the notification letter by the assigned due date.

III. Award Consideration Process

During the third week of the spring semester each year, the Student Life Office will send an e-mail to all department heads and clubs and organization advisors, a request for the nominees for the Honors Ceremony. Each academic department will decide on the nominee(s) for outstanding curriculum/student recognition awards listed in paragraph IV, sections A & B, and forward their name(s) to the Student Life Director by February 28. These nominees will be reviewed and notified as outlined in Procedure II – Award Eligibility Notification.

IV. Awards Criteria

A. Academic Honors

1. Outstanding Student Leadership Award

Only one student from each curriculum can be selected for this award. The criteria requires a minimum 3.0 GPA, exceptional leadership and scholastic achievement, demonstrated outstanding leadership during the academic year, and extensive community service. The student Activities Awards committee will make the final determination of the recipient who will receive the Outstanding Student Leadership Award.

2. Phi Theta Kappa

Students who have completed at least 12 credit hours at FDTC, have a minimum 3.50 GPA, and are enrolled in a degree program are eligible for membership in Phi Theta Kappa. Students who are eligible and are interested in membership must complete an application form and submit it with the appropriate fee to a Phi Theta Kappa advisor by the deadline indicated on the invitation letter from the college. An induction ceremony is held in April during the Honors Night Ceremony. Letters of invitation to the ceremony are mailed to members and their family at least a month in advance advising them of the date/time of the ceremony and a request for their response. The program agenda is developed by the committee and approved by the College President and Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Students may want to refer to their faculty advisor as to the benefits offered to members.

B. Student Recognition Awards

1. The Student Government Association (SGA) Awards

The SGA usually recognizes 3 and not more than 5 students each year for their services and support of the student government association. The criterion for this award is established by the Director of Student Life.

2. The Student Clubs/Organization Awards

One student per club or student organization is selected each year by the organization’s faculty advisor. The criterion for this award is established by each academic department and faculty advisor.

V. Honors Night and Ceremony

Honors night will be held on a weeknight, usually on the third Thursday of April. The night selected by the Student Life Director will accommodate the President's and Vice President's schedules. An invitation to attend the Honors’ Night Ceremony will be extended to each student who has been selected with a required RSVP within two weeks of the ceremony. Students who do not RSVP by the established deadline will not be recognized in the Honors Ceremony Booklet and could be excluded from participating in the ceremony. The program agenda and a draft script will be approved by the Vice President of Student Services and the President two weeks in advance of the ceremony.