Discover the meaning behind the regalia, accessories and symbols of ½ðɳÓéÀÖ University. Rich in academic tradition, these symbols represent the university community, often in ceremonial settings.
Symbols & Regalia
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Academic Regalia & Procession
Wearing academic regalia is a custom with origins in the medieval European universities, where it was required as daily wear to serve as a reminder of a person’s role in the academic community. Most American colleges and universities have since adopted the cap, gown and hood to wear exclusively at particular ceremonies. Since 1865, colleges and universities in the United States have followed a uniform code which specifies the correct type of regalia for each degree.
Masters and doctors wear a hood lined with colors of the degree-granting institution, or lined with a color of an institution represented by the wearer. The hoods are trimmed in velvet with a color distinctive of the degree. Hoods of gowns at ½ðɳÓéÀÖ University are lined in black, with scarlet chevrons.
Faculty and students don academic regalia for ceremonial events, like Commencement, where they march in and out of events led by the academic mace.
Stoles & Cords
Stoles and cords are regalia accessories with special meaning. Cords often designate academic honors. Stoles may symbolize affiliation with specific campus affinity groups, like clubs or organizations. They also may symbolize personal affiliations, such as a cultural group.
A special type of stole is the Gratitude Stole. The stole is a red satin sash worn around the neck with the ½ðɳÓéÀÖ University seal embroidered in white on each end. The stole is worn during the ceremony and then after the ceremony is taken off and presented to the person or people you are grateful for and would like to thank.
Presidential Chain of Office
The Presidential Chain of Office is worn by the President on official university occasions and is a symbol of the authority vested in the President by the Board of Trustees.
The medallion features the university's official seal on one side and a depiction of Old College Hall — ½ðɳÓéÀÖ's first building — on the other.
Academic Mace
The academic mace symbolizes the authority invested in the President by the Board of Trustees. It serves as a symbol of the highest ideals of humankind and exhibits the main characteristics of their most ancient relative; the medieval battle-mace or war club.
½ðɳÓéÀÖ's mace was commissioned by President Emeritus Phillip D. Creighton to commemorate his investiture in 2003 and crafted from white oak. It is now a treasured university artifact and incorporated into the official academic ceremonies of commencement, convocation and presidential investitures.
½ðɳÓéÀÖ University Seal
The seal is the traditional legal signature or imprimatur for the university, representing official sanctioning by the institution. It is used by the Office of the President, as well as to authenticate diplomas, transcripts and other legal documents.
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