DCAL Preamble
Established as a standing committee 10 November 2006, the Citadel Alumni Association (CAA) Distinguished Citadel Alumni List (DCAL) Committee oversees, maintains Distinguished and pre-existing Notable and, and nominates Distinguished Citadel Alumni to promote the achievements of alumni and the history of The Citadel. The Committee, by the CAA Bylaws, shall consist of nine voting members approved by the CAA Board of Directors (BOD) including a chair appointed by the President. The Committee shall reflect a broad cross- section of Citadel graduates as shown below under Committee Makeup. The exact language from the CAA Bylaws that created the DCAL Committee is located at Article VI. Section 1.h. and reads as follows:
“The purpose will be to oversee and maintain a listing of Distinguished Citadel Alumni in order to promote the achievement of Alumni and the history of The Citadel. The Committee shall consist of ninemembers as approved by The Citadel Alumni Association Board.”
The Distinguished Citadel Alumni List is an extremely prestigious award, reserved for a very select group of alumni.The DCAL Committee made the initial selection of alumni for the listing under the authority given to the Committee by the CAA Bylaws and its BOD. Each of the alumni on the initial list received the unanimous approval of the Committee.
Committee Makeup
The CAA President shall appoint the DCAL Committee Chair. The remaining eight members shall be:
- Executive Director of the Krause Center for Leadership and Ethics or his/her designee, subject to permission to serve being approved by The Citadel President.
- A member of the CAA BOD selected by the CAA President.
- Four CAA members appointed by the DCAL Committee Chair; at least one must be a female and at least one must be a person of color, provided that they may not be the same person; and two CAA members who come from classes graduating not more than twenty years prior to their appointment. A member from the category of not more than twenty years from graduation shall be permitted to remain on the DCAL Committee for up to four years after passing the twenty- year mark.
- Two CAA members appointed by the DCAL Committee Chair. This number will be increased to three if TheCitadel President does not permit the appointment of a member from the Krause Center.
Meeting Procedures
The DCAL Committee Chair will notify the President of the CAA that the Committee is meeting to consider a potential nominee(s).
The CAA Executive Director (ED) shall be invited, by the chair, to all DCAL Committee meetings and shall have voice privilege but no vote.
DCAL meetings may be held in person, by electronic means, or a combination of both. A quorum is defined as at least eight voting members.
Nomination Rules
Members of the CAA are invited, and strongly encouraged, to nominate alumni for consideration as a Distinguished alumnus/ae. The DCAL committee will use the existing CAA definition of an “alumnus/ae” when considering candidates for selection, except for non- graduates referred to under Selection Criteria.
The DCAL Committee meets on an “as needed” basis when presented with nominations. Not more than one dissenting and/or abstaining vote is required for selection as a Distinguished alumnus/ae.
To those alumni making a nomination, your participation is appreciated and highly valued. It is up to you, bynarrative, to “make the case” for your nominee. CAA members may nominate the candidate for consideration multiple times, possibly building a better case each time as the individual’s accomplishments grow.
Selection Criteria
Distinguished Alumni is defined as an alumnus/ae of The Citadel who demonstrated extraordinary achievement as asingle act, or the cumulative effect of a series of significant acts over time or having held a nationally, regionally, orlocally recognizable and prominent position of unique and great responsibility. Cadet accomplishments, except those of an extraordinary nature, meaning superior/rare to an exceptional extent, do not satisfy the requirements for this recognition.
Non-graduates who attended The Citadel will be considered for Distinguished alumni if the circumstances surrounding their early departure are shown to be for answering a call to arms, receipt of a degree or commission notavailable at The Citadel, for serious physical injury or if the nominee attended for two or more academic years.
Three and Four-star Generals, Flag Officers of the same rank, and Senior Executive Service equivalents, accredited 4-year college presidents and Medal of Honor/Navy Cross/AF Cross/Distinguished Service Cross recipients, requirenomination, and should be so nominated. A vote will still be conducted, and the limited oversight and nomination rules herein apply.
While many achievements are proper to be considered for Distinguished, it must be recognized that Distinguished is just like the Ring – it is earned, not bought.
Limited Oversight and Notification Process
To ensure appropriate limited oversight, the following procedures shall be followed:
Nominations from a CAA member received by the Committee will be forwarded to the CAA Historian and History Committee (if one exists) to validate the accuracy of submitted biographies.
The CAA ED or the DCAL Chair will report all votes on all nominees to the CAA Executive Committee (ExCom)prior to any announcements and the CAA ExCom will make those votes known to the CAA BOD in Executive Session at its next regularly scheduled meeting. The reporting of votes means providing the names of all nominees considered, regardless of the recommendations made, not the actual ballot of each DCAL committee member. These communications will be held in strictest confidence by all parties receiving them. The CAA BOD has the authority toreject by a 3/4 vote of those present at a meeting where a quorum is present any nominee being considered.
The information describing an alumnus/ae for Distinguished or pre-existing Notable inclusion shall be complete andshall be prepared by the DCAL Committee in conjunction with the CAA History Committee and forwarded to the CAA ED for formatting and correction as needed.
The materials forwarded to the CAA ED shall include all nomination documents. The description is subject to CAA BOD review.
The President of the CAA will notify the award recipient of his/her selection.
Removal from/or Modification of List
Distinguished or pre-existing Notable status can be removed or modified based upon the Distinguished or pre-existingNotable alumnus/ae disgracing him/herself or The Citadel, or upon consideration of matters of a similar disgracefulnature or as described below made known to the CAA BOD. The procedure for removal or modification shall be as follows:
In the unlikely event that an award recipient commits or engages in, or if it is discovered that such award recipienthas committed or engaged in any of the following, then the CAA BOD, in
its sole discretion and at any time, thereafter, may revoke or modify the award for the following without limitation:
- commission of any act of fraud, dishonesty, embezzlement or theft, or an act that is a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; or
- Conduct that is seriously prejudicial to The Citadel or CAA and would adversely impact the reputation,image, mission, or integrity of The Citadel and/ or CAA, including without limitation any substantial deviation from the reasonably expected character of an individual in each award recipient’s position or a violation of law.
Two voting members of the CAA BOD shall give not less than a 30-day notice of a removal request or modification tobe placed as an agenda item for the next regularly scheduled board meeting. Upon motion made and seconded, a 3/4thsor greater vote of CAA BOD present at a meeting where a quorum is present shall be required to make removal or modification.
Recognition
A program to recognize new and existing Distinguished and pre-existing Notable alumni will be developed by the CAA ED and his/her staff and coordinated with the DCAL Committee Chair to include coordination with the Krause Leadership Center. The leadership qualities shown by Distinguished and pre-existing Notable alumnus/ae are an integral part of Krause Leadership Center initiatives. Recognition shall be similar to that provided for other CAA awards as described in the CAA Awards Committee manual.
The names and biographical information for each Distinguished and pre-existing Notable alumnus/ae will be maintained on the CAA website, and other electronic means.
This document supersedes and replaces all previous procedures and rules of the DCAL Committee except for the Bylaws.
This document eliminated on the date below for the future the category of Notable. Pre- existing Notables shall remain and be appropriately recognized.
Approved by the Board of Directors on September 9, 2023.