Academic Regalia

THE CAP — In Ancient Rome, freed slaves earned the privilege of wearing a cap, symbolizing freedom. Today, the academic cap represents freedom and responsibility in scholarship. Traditional mortarboards are black with black tassels, though doctoral graduates increasingly wear tams, often with gold tassels.

THE GOWN — The academic robe today symbolizes the democracy of scholarship, covering any attire regardless of social standing. American doctoral gowns are typically black, closed in the front, and feature bell-shaped sleeves that are four feet in length. These gowns have three velvet chevrons on the upper arms, either in the color of the discipline or, for PhDs across all fields, in blue.

THE HOOD — American hoods are usually lined with the colors of the university and folded back to display them. The velvet border indicates the academic discipline, except for PhDs, where it is uniformly blue.

THE AIGUILLETTES (or CORDS) — These ornamental braided cords with decorative tips derive from military uniforms dating to the Romans.  Indeed, cords may still reflect military service — Gold for Army, Blue for Navy, Red for Marine Corps, Royal Blue for Air Force — or other honors such as academic achievement or election to honor societies.

At WesternU:

• Highest Honors (top 3%) are symbolized by purple and gold.
• University Honors (top 4-10%) are denoted by green and gold.

(Note: All honorees must have earned a grade point average of at least 3.75.)

Signifiers of national honor societies include:

• Osteopathic Medicine: Sigma Sigma Phi — burgundy/gold
• Gold Humanism Honor Society: Black and gold
• Allied Health: Alpha Eta — green and white
• Pharmacy: Rho Chi — purple and white
• Nursing: Sigma Theta Tau — lavender and white
• Veterinary Medicine: Phi Zeta — gold and silver
• Optometry: Beta Sigma Kappa — gold (mixed with black if worn all four years)
• Podiatric Medicine: Pi Delta — navy and silver
• Dentistry: Omicron Kappa Upsilon — lilac

A recent trend, not yet widely adopted in the U.S., involves some graduates wearing cords or stoles that represent social achievements rather than academic ones.

THE TRUSTEE REGALIA — Trustees guide institutional life at the highest level.  In recent years more universities have adopted special regalia by which the body of Trustees are recognized not as students, faculty, or administrators, but for their rarified role in governance.  Thus Trustee regalia, like that of Presidents, reflects stewardship of our University rather than the university, degree, and discipline of personal attainment.

THE TRUSTEE GOWN & CAP — The WesternU Trustee Gowns follow the style of American Doctors in maroon tropical wool, a closed front bounded by double black velvet panels piped by gold braid and with the University seal embroidered in old gold.  The sleeves are long, open, and fitted with black velvet gauntlet cuffs piped in gold braid.  The cap is a black velvet six-corner tam with a bullion button and tassel in old gold Soutache.