Latin Honors

Sponsor:  Academic Affairs
Contact: Office of Academic Affairs
Category: Academic
Number: 100.014
Effective Date: Sept. 3, 2020 
Keywords: Honors, Policy

Purpose

This policy establishes Latin honors at the university for recognizing distinguished performance by students earning a bachelor's degree at graduation.

Statements

Latin honors is a universally recognized distinction that is based on an Empire State University (SUNY Empire) graduate's cumulative grade point average (GPA).

Latin honors is reserved for students earning a bachelor's degree.

The cumulative GPA needed to achieve Latin honors at the university is based on the 70th/80th/90th percentiles of baccalaureate graduate GPAs over a five-year period: Cum Laude (3.81), Magna Cum Laude (3.88), and Summa Cum Laude (3.96). The cumulative GPA totals used to establish thresholds for this policy are based on a breakdown of baccalaureate graduates from 2014-15 to 2018-19.

Only graded credits at SUNY Empire will be counted. Students at the bachelor's level must earn at least 27 graded credits to qualify.

Ungraded credits (e.g. pass/no pass) do not count toward Latin honors.

Grade changes that take effect before graduation and affect a student's qualifications for Latin honors will be applied to the student's cumulative average at graduation.

Related References, Policies, Procedures, Forms and Appendices

Dean's List Policy

Grading and Evaluation Policy for Undergraduate Programs