At its meeting of December 8, 1987, the Academic Senate approved the following revised policy on the Graduate Student Award for Distinguished Achievement policy:

The San Francisco State University Graduate Student Award for Distinguished Achievement is conferred on students who have earned a distinguished record of academic performance and service in the major field. Selection for the award is based on criteria which are specified by the faculty in the respective graduate major subject areas. Scholarship, service to the department, community activities, research, and publications are examples of student accomplishment which may be taken into consideration. Criteria may vary from discipline to discipline, consistent with standards of excellence.

Each of the Schools in the University offering graduate degree programs may nominate three master's degree candidates to receive the award in an academic year. One additional nominee may be selected for every 25 master's degree graduated from the school in the preceding academic year. A doctoral program may nominate one degree candidate to receive the award each year. No student may receive this award more than once as a master's or doctoral recipient.

At the time the students are selected, it must be assumed that they have already distinguished themselves in keeping with the criteria established. Therefore, they should receive the award at that time irrespective of whether or not they finish the degree in the term in which they are selected.

The Dean of the Graduate Studies is responsible for administering the award procedure to include: