A.3.5 Posthumous Credentials
Approved: April 30, 2019
POLICY
NVIT recognizes the academic achievements of deceased students by issuing transcriptable posthumous credentials. NVIT's issuance of a transcriptable posthumous credential acknowledges the loss experienced by the NVIT community and beyond. Presenting a posthumous credential to a person designated by the family of the deceased extends an opportunity for all to share in the academic success of the deceased learner.
GUIDELINES and PROCESS
1) To be eligible, a learner must normally have succeeded in completing at least seventy-five percent of their program and have begun the remaining twenty-five percent.
2) The learner must have been in good academic and disciplinary standing at the time of death.
3) Department Heads, and/or Program Coordinators will bring forward to the Dean any request for a posthumous award of a certificate, diploma, or degree for a learner enrolled in a program under their jurisdiction.
4) When a learner has substantially completed course requirements in the remaining twenty-five percent of the program, the transcript will list aegrotat grades as provided to the Registrar by the Dean after consultation with the relevant Department Head. Otherwise, no grades will be recorded for incomplete program requirements.
5) The Dean will convey to the Registrar’s Office, with a copy to the Associate Vice President of Students, a written request for preparation of the posthumous credential.
6) The Office of the Associate Vice President of Students will contact the student’s family to determine if, how, and when the relevant posthumous credential is to be presented or delivered.
7) If the posthumous credential is to be presented at Graduation, a designate named by the family may receive the posthumous credential at the ceremony. The Office of the Associate Vice President of Students will brief the designated representative on the details for recognition during the Graduation ceremony. The learner’s name will be listed and read out as the final graduand in the respective program.
8) The notation “posthumous” will be recorded on the learner’s academic transcript, but will not appear on the credential.
Definitions
Posthumous: occurs after the death of the learner.
Aegrotat Grade: a grade issued for a learner unable to complete coursework because of a severe illness, permanent disability or an incapacity of a catastrophic nature.
Credential: the instrument awarded when an individual successfully completes all program requirements for graduation from an accredited NVIT program. At NVIT, this normally means an Adult Dogwood, Certificate, Diploma or Degree. This does NOT include non-credit based or non-transcriptable activities – such as those issued through Continuing Studies.
Transcript: an official permanent record of a learner’s academic standing. This record is maintained by the Office of the Registrar and includes Education Council approved academic notations, courses, grades and credentials – those earned and/or in progress.
Learner: An individual who is registered or was registered in a course or program of study at the Institute.
Family: spouse, parents, grandparents, children (inclusive of adopted, half and step children) grandchildren, siblings, aunties and uncles, and in-laws.
For more information, contact the Office of the Registrar.