<P> Similarly, a jure dignitatis degree is awarded to someone who has demonstrated eminence and scholarship by being appointed to a particular office . Thus, for example, a DD (Doctor of Divinity) might be conferred upon a bishop on the occasion of his consecration, or a judge created LLD (Legum Doctor) or DCL (Doctor of Civil Law) upon his or her appointment to the judicial bench . These, also, are properly considered substantive rather than honorary degrees . </P> <P> Some US universities such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cornell University, Stanford University, and Rice University, do not award honorary degrees as a matter of policy . The University of Virginia (founded in 1819) was probably the first US university to explicitly have a policy of not awarding honorary degrees at the behest of its founder, Thomas Jefferson . In 1845, William Barton Rogers, then chairman of the faculty, vigorously defended this policy; in 1861, he founded MIT in Boston and continued this practice . The University of Virginia does annually award Thomas Jefferson Medals in Architecture and in Law, as the highest honors accorded by that institution . </P> <P> MIT has on rare occasions awarded honorary professorships; Winston Churchill was so honored in 1949, as was Salman Rushdie in 1993 . Similarly, the Stanford Alumni Association occasionally awards the Degree of Uncommon Man / Woman to individuals who have given "rare and exceptional service" to the university . Though UCLA has imposed a moratorium on awarding honorary degrees, it honors notable people with the UCLA Medal instead . St. John's College has not granted honorary degrees since 1936, but its alumni association occasionally offers honorary membership to retiring faculty, staff, and other close associates of the college . </P> <P> Some universities and colleges have been accused of granting honorary degrees in exchange for large donations . Honorary degree recipients, particularly those who have no prior academic qualifications, have sometimes been criticized if they insist on being called "Doctor" as a result of their award, as the honorific may mislead the general public about their qualifications . It can be similarly misleading when respected individuals are referred to as "Professor", especially in a university or government context . </P>

What is it called when you graduate with honors