SFU Senate declared in a recent meeting that SFU students graduated before June 2018 may have their degree parchment adjusted retroactively to display their highest level of study.
This ruling comes as an amendment to the resolution made at a prior senate meeting where it was declared that students may not have degrees obtained before June 2018 adjusted retroactively to list their major due to the possibility of multiple degrees existing.
The issue of retroactive adjustment was carried forward from a previous meeting and brought up by student senator Iman Baharmand. “Several students stated that they would be more than willing to bring in their old degrees and pay a fee to get a new one that indicated their major or highest degree conferred,” he reported.
The question was settled by registrar Rummana Khan Hemani. “The answer in short is yes, we can accommodate requests for [a] replacement parchment.”
The process for retroactively adjusting degree parchment will be the same as the current process for replacing a damaged or lost parchment. Graduates requesting a new parchment may fill out an application form and pay a fee of $55. “We always use the most recent degree template so in this case, starting in June, the new parchment will include the highest level of study.”
Further clarifications were made during the meeting as to what credential will and will not be noted on the degree parchment. Minors, concentrations integral to the degree, double majors, distinctions, and co-ops will all be listed on the new degree parchments. Optional concentrations, specializations, streams, and options will not be listed.
Prior to the decision to list the highest level of study on degree parchments, SFU parchments stated only the credential and the faculty in which it was achieved. The issue of including majors on the parchments is one that has been brought up by undergraduate senate representatives multiple times.
