Inauguration Ceremony program - Kettering University

Symbols of Investiture
SYMBOLS OF INVESTITURE
Academic Dress
The distinctive and colorful gowns worn during academic ceremonies originated
in Medieval European universities. In the 14th century, their use had become so
common that universities, including Oxford University in England, required their
faculty to wear them in public places. In the late 19th century, American universities
formed a commission that prepared a code for academic costumes. That code has
been updated and is used today by most colleges and universities.
Academic dress consists of a cap, gown and hood, which indicate the degree held
by the wearer and the college or university that awarded that degree. The academic
world has three basic grades of dignity and achievement. These are bachelors,
masters and doctors.
Gowns for the bachelors and masters degree are untrimmed and quite similar, with
sleeve structure being the chief distinguishing feature. For the doctoral degree, the
gown is faced down the front with black or colored velvet and with three velvet
chevrons of the same across the sleeves.
The shape and size of the American hood mark the degree of the wearer, the lining
of the hood is indicative of the institution granting the degree, and the velvet trim
indicates the major field of knowledge.
Caps traditionally have a tassel fastened to the midpoint. A doctoral cap may have a
tassel of gold thread.
Guests at the inauguration of Kettering University’s seventh president, Robert K.
McMahan, will have the opportunity to see Kettering’s first presidential robe. The
president’s robe is based on the traditional doctoral gown, with a fourth velvet
doctoral chevron on each sleeve. It is traditional for the president to wear the colors
of the university. Therefore, Kettering’s presidential robe is blue with four gold
trimmed, black velvet chevrons.
Kettering’s president wears a doctoral cap and hood representative of his or her
degree-granting institution.
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K E T T E R I N G U N I V E R S I T Y