1997 Commencement Program

The Academic Regalia The colorful academic regalia dates from the Middle Ages when European universities took form. Academic costume has been in use in the United States since colonial times and is traditionally used for graduation convocations. An intercollegiate commission was formed which established the following standard of uniformity for caps, gowns, and hoods. The standard cap is the mortarboard. The tassel color indicates the subject field . apricot light blue dark brown dark crimson silver gray drab sage green orange pink scarlet white golden yellow gold nursing education fine arts humanities communications commerce physical education engineering music r~ligiori" arts, letters, languages, history science, mathematics Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Education, Doctor of Theology, Doctor of Arts (some of the doctors have large metallic tassels) The length of the hood and the width of the velvet indicate the level of the degree. The doctor's hood is quite long, has two tails, and has a five-inch wide velvet. The master's hood is shorter than the doctor's and has a three-inch wide velvet. The bachelor's hood is shorter yet and has a two-inch wide velvet. The color of the velvet indicates the field of study. Blue velvet indicates the doctoral degrees. The dark brown velvet indicates the Master of Arts degree. White velvet indicates the Bachelor of Arts or the Master of Arts degree. Scarlet velvet indicates the Bachelor of Divinity degree or the Master of Divinity degree. Yellow indicates the Bachelor of Science degree. The colors in the lining of the hood are the university colors. The gown's traditional color is black. The distinguishing feature of the master's gown is the tippet sleeve. The doctor's gown has two distinguishing features: it is cut much fuller than the bachelor's or the master's gown and has velvet panels on the sleeves, around the neck, and down the front. These panels may be black or the color which symbolizes the subject field in which the degree was earned.