10.2 - Rescission of Awarded Degrees or Certificates

Last updated on April 18, 2023

POLICY:  In order to correct an administrative error, Spoon River College has a process in place to rescind a student’s degree or certificate.

SCOPE:

This policy applies to all awarded degrees or certificates.

DETAILS:

  1. Occasionally, cases arise in which it is necessary to rescind a student’s degree or certificate to correct an administrative error. The most common circumstances are:
    1. A degree or certificate was issued with an error, such as listing the wrong degree or certificate. The mistakenly awarded degree or certificate must be rescinded in order for a new and correct degree or certificate to be awarded.
    2. A degree or certificate was issued, but the student had not fulfilled all graduation requirements.
  2. The Dean or Vice President is the appropriate officer to request to rescind a degree or certificate. Rescission of the degree or certificate is considered a “last resort.”  For example, a course substitution may be a better remedy than rescinding a degree or certificate.
  3. If a degree or certificate rescission is necessary, the College must inform the student and make arrangements for the return of the diploma.
  4. In the case of rescinding a degree or certificate because it was awarded in error, the following information must be provided in writing by the Dean to the College Registrar:
    1. What was the nature of the error that resulted in the degree or certificate being incorrectly granted?
    2. When and how was the student informed of the rescission/replacement?
    3. Does the student currently have a diploma that reflects the error? If so, what arrangements have been made for the return of the erroneous diploma?
  5. Following approval of the request by the College Registrar, the Registrar’s Office will:
    1. Remove the degree/certificate conferred message from the student’s transcript, and if a corrected degree or certificate is being awarded, a new degree or certificate conferral message will be posted to the transcript. A corrected diploma will be processed and mailed to the student.  Correct copies of a transcript will be sent to all recipients if transcripts were distributed prior to the amendment being made to the student’s record.
    2. Contact other College offices, such as Financial Aid, with the information related to the student’s change of record.