TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
POLICY ON CONFERRING CHANCELLOR’S MEDAL ISSUED BY THE COUNCIL FOR OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
Date issued: 15 November 2004
Date reviewed: 8 December 2005
Date approved by EMC/Senate:
This policy, its rules, guidelines and procedures shall replace all previous policies and their rules, guidelines and procedures and/or circulars on the conferring of honorary awards.
All previous policies and rules shall be rendered null and void by this approved policy.
1. POLICY
It is the policy of the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) to issue the Chancellor’s Medal for outstanding academic achievement
2. DEFINITIONS
In this document, unless otherwise indicated –
"Council" means the Council of TUT;
"cum laude", which is a Latin phrase, means "with distinction", indicating exceptional academic merit, in the case of a qualification, where the graduate has obtained, on completion of the course, an average of at least 75% for the set subjects of the course, and an average of at least 75% for the exit-level subjects of that course; and where he or she had passed all subjects in the first examination, the qualification not being issued cum laude if the candidate had to take a supplementary examination or had failed any subject;
"TUT" means the Tshwane University of Technology, as duly constituted in terms of the Higher Education Act, 1997 (Act No. 101 0f 1997), as amended; and
"University" means the Tshwane University of Technology, as duly constituted in terms of the Higher Education Act, 1997 (Act No. 101 0f 1997), as amended.
3. RULES
3.1 Chancellor’s Medal issued by the Council for outstanding academic achievement
3.1.1 The Medal shall be awarded to qualifying students in respect of NQF Level Five and NQF Level Six qualifications with a minimum duration of three years. Currently, such TUT qualifications are the National Diploma, the four-year B Tech degree and the four-year BEd degree, respectively.
3.1.2 The Medal shall consist of two components, a lower and an upper component. The lower component shall consist of a silver plate fixed onto a wooden base with the person's name engraved on it. The upper component shall be mounted on the lower component. The Medal shall be mounted on a specially designed trophy. The year it is awarded shall be engraved in the centre of the Medal.
3.1.3 It is the responsibility of the Faculty's Executive to identify the deserving candidate.
3.1.4 A candidate may receive an award only once within a particular qualification structure, e.g. one award only for either a National Diploma or a subsequent, appropriate B Tech degree.
3.1.5 This Medal shall be awarded only to such candidate who qualifies for it according to rule 3.2.6 below, where such student obtains, for instance, his or her degree cum laude.
3.1.6 The Medal shall be awarded to the student with the highest total average mark for all subjects set for the particular qualification.
3.1.7 When more than one student obtains the same high average mark, additional criteria should be used to determine the award-winning candidate. The Senate should approve such criteria. If a determining decision cannot be made, the Dean of the Faculty should decide which candidate should win the award.
3.1.8 The percentages obtained for subjects passed at other accredited institutions, which have been formally recognised by TUT (which percentages has enabled the student to complete his or her qualification at TUT), including recognition of prior learning (RPL), where applicable, shall be acknowledged for the purpose of this award.
3.1.9 A B Tech candidate who has completed the appropriate preceding National Diploma at another institution shall not qualify for this award.
3.1.10 One Medal per faculty (irrespective of the campus) may annually be awarded. Or else, a lower-level award, for example, a certificate, may be issued per campus.
3.1.11 The Medal shall be presented once a year at the learning site of TUT where the qualification was obtained.
3.1.12 The recipient of the Medal shall, furthermore, receive an approved certificate designed specifically for that purpose.
3.1.13 The officiating Chancellor shall hand over the Medal at a TUT graduation ceremony after the dean officiating at that ceremony has introduced the recipient.
4. PROCEDURES
4.1 Chancellor’s Medal for outstanding academic achievement
4.1.1 The Graduation Office identifies all cum laude candidates before the commencement of the annual graduation ceremonies.
4.1.2 The academic records of those candidates are handed to the respective Faculty Officers to be submitted at a meeting of the Faculty Executive.
4.1.3 The Faculty Executive meeting selects the best candidate at the faculty according to the set criteria of such faculty.
4.1.4 Each Faculty Officer communicates the name of the selected candidate of his or her faculty to the Graduation Office.
4.1.5 The Graduation Office sends the candidate a letter informing him or her of the award. A template requesting the curriculum vitae of the candidate is included in the letter.
4.1.6 The Graduation Office submits the curriculum vitae received from the candidate for language editing before including it in the relevant graduation ceremony programme.
4.1.7 The Graduation Office orders the Medal(s) for the specific candidate(s) from the appointed engravers.
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