The academic procession is among the few occasions for which collegiate faculty still wear formal regalia. Participants in our academic procession wear the colors, chevrons, velvets, and wools representing degrees earned here and abroad. Academic dress originated in medieval Europe and grew to identify scholars as persons of “degree.” The earliest regalia were the robes of clerical scholars, likely worn for warmth in drafty buildings. Medieval scholars wore hoods or cowls instead of caps, perhaps for this same purpose.

Tradition entitles scholars in regalia to the respect and welcome of royal courts. Deriving from the old traditions, scholars in academic dress do not remove their caps for royalty, or during national anthems, prayer, and religious ceremonies.

The American Council on Education prescribes the cuts, colors, and materials of regalia in the United States. Modern regalia usually consist of black robes, trimmed hoods, and tasseled caps; some universities have colored robes. The cut of the robes and the color and shape of the hoods indicate the fields and degrees of the scholars and their almae matres.

The Bachelor’s gown is plain with long, pointed sleeves. The Master’s gown has long, oblong sleeves. The Doctor’s gown has bell-shaped sleeves, each typically with three velvet bars. The president of Maine Maritime Academy wears a gown with four black velvet bars on each sleeve, indicating leadership of our institution.

Hoods are the most distinctive part of academic dress. Their length varies, being shortest for the Bachelor’s and longest for the Doctor’s degree. The lining bears the institution’s colors. The color of velvet trim designates the bearer’s academic field and, for the Doctor’s degree, the mastery of a discipline. Some colors you may see today are: dark blue – philosophy; drab – business; golden yellow – mathematics and sciences; light blue – education; orange – engineering; purple - law; and white – arts, letters, and humanities.

Maine Maritime Academy’s most senior professor, the faculty marshal, will carry the ceremonial mace and lead today’s academic procession. He will place the mace in front of the podium during commencement as a symbol of the authority of the faculty.