THE ACADEMIC REGALIA

The academic regalia worn on formal occasions in American colleges and universities is rooted in the medieval traditions of the great thirteenth century universities of EuropeParis, Bologna, Cambridge, and Oxford. The use of gowns, caps, and hoods reminds us of the honorable antecedents of academic life. They link the clerical dignity and importance of teaching and scholarship in the past to the vibrant life of the university in the present and are emblems of a purposeful future for university graduates.

In 1895, American universities agreed on a uniform system of academic dress. This code was revised in 1932 by the American Council on Education, but the various and distinctive local university traditions of more recent years have added great color and a variety of styles to the academic procession. The academic story is usually told in the distinctive style and color of gown, cap, and hood.

The Gown: The flowing black habit of the medieval cleric has become the normative black academic robe. It once gave warmth to the wearer in unheated monastery buildings of stone. The robe for the bachelor’s degree is usually plain with pointed sleeves. The robe for the master’s degree has long closed sleeves with a slit at the arm. The doctor’s robe has full bell sleeves with a facing of velvet on the front and velvet chevrons on the sleeve. The velvet is either black or in the color representing the appropriate academic discipline.

Robe colors other than black are the colors of the sponsoring university. The President’s robe is decorated with a dark blue panel and four chevrons on the sleeves representing the office of the president. The medallion worn by the President is a replica of the University seal and is made of sterling silver with a gold overlay.

The Cap: Most caps are in the traditional pattern of the square “mortarboard” set on the monk’s skull cap. The tassel is either black or in the color of the academic discipline. Doctors’ caps usually have a tassel of gold and vary from the traditional square to a velvet in three, four, or eight points.

The Hood: Originally a true hood for covering the head in wind and weather, the academic hood is now the colorful story of the scholar’s academic life. The hood is faced with velvet of a color representing the academic discipline. The trim and lining, often with a chevron in a second color inside the hood, is the color of the sponsoring university.

One can identify the academic discipline by the color of the velvet face trim on the hood:

Arts, Letters, Humanities

Commerce, Accountancy, Business

Economics

Fine Arts, Architecture

Philosophy

Physical Education

Public Administration

Public

Science

Social

Theology