INAUGURATION SYMBOLISM

Inauguration

The inauguration of a leader in a higher education institution is a momentous occasion that heralds the start of a new chapter in the institution’s history. It symbolizes a fresh start, a renewed vision, and a commitment to the core values and mission of the college. This ceremonial event serves as a platform for students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders in the academic community to interact with the newly inaugurated leader and learn about their vision for the future. At Lake-Sumter State College, President Bigard’s Inauguration is marked by a formal ceremony and reception held on the Leesburg Campus, which brings together the community to celebrate the beginning of a new era for the institution.

Processional

The processional is a symbolic representation of the academic community coming together to celebrate a significant event, such as an inauguration, graduation, or a formal convocation ceremony. It represents the collective strength and unity of the college community, as well as its commitment to advancing knowledge and promoting learning.

College faculty and staff wear the regalia issued by their academic institution of study for their highest degree.

University Mace

The college mace is a ceremonial staff that the faculty marshal carries during formal academic ceremonies. It symbolizes the institution’s authority and its commitment to upholding academic excellence and fulfillment of its mission At our institution, the mace features the seals of Lake-Sumter State College and the State of Florida, representing the college’s commitment to local and statewide academic pursuits.

Faculty Marshal

Serving as the faculty marshal is an esteemed privilege for a member of the faculty. At Lake-Sumter State College, this role is held by the faculty member who has the most years of service to the institution. The faculty marshal serves an important symbolic role at ceremonial events including commencement, convocations, and inaugurations. This role leads the processional carrying the college mace as a representation of the faculty, symbolizes the institution’s commitment to excellence, and sets the tone and decorum for the ceremony’s participants.

Academic Regalia

The tradition of the academic dress dates back nearly eight centuries. Scholars, both teachers and students, wore long gowns to keep warm in the damp and drafty halls of learning. Gradually, styles were adopted which were characteristic of the individual college and of the highest academic degree held by the wearer. In 1895, a commission was established to come up with a uniform code for academic costume. Today the gowns, hoods and mortarboards worn by the graduating students of most institutions, including Lake-Sumter State College, follow this code.

At Lake-Sumter State College, certificate and associate degree candidates wear black regalia and baccalaureate degree candidates wear green regalia. Candidates wear a matching square “mortarboard” cap that is traditional for all degrees – a tradition started at Oxford University.

LSSC faculty and staff wear caps, gowns, and hoods representing the institution and academic discipline of their highest earned degree.

The tassel is worn on the right side of the cap until the degree is conferred and moved to the left side as part of the Commencement ceremony.

The Hood

Hoods are lined with the official colors of the institution conferring the degree. They are edged and bound with velvet of the color appropriate for the degree.

Colors

In regalia, academic disciplines are noted by color.

• Apricot — Nursing

• Blue (dark) — Philosophy (doctorate)

• Blue (light) — Education

• Blue (peacock) — Public Administration

• Blue (Rhodes) — Audiology

• Brown — Visual and Performing Arts

• Citron — Social Work, Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling

• Crimson — Advertising, Journalism and Mass Communications

• Copper — Economics

• Drab — Business

• Green (Kelly) — Medicine

• Green (olive) — Pharmacy

• Green (sage) — Political Science (master’s)

• Orange — Engineering

• Pink — Music

• Salmon — Public Health

• Scarlet — Religious Studies

• Science Gold — Anthropology, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Criminology, Cybercrime, Environmental Science, Geography, Geology, Gerontology, Health Sciences, Information Technologies, Medical Science (master’s), Medical Technology, Mathematics, Marine Science, Physics, Speech Pathology, Statistics

• Silver — Speech Communications

• Teal — Physical Therapy

• Violet — Architecture

• White — Arts and Letters and Humanities, including African Studies, American Studies, Applied Linguistics, Art and Art History, Classics, English, Foreign Language, General Studies, History, Interdisciplinary Social Science, International Studies, Liberal Studies, Linguistics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Women’s and Gender Studies

• Yellow (lemon) — Library Science

• Yellow (pineapple) — Hotel and Restaurant Management