State University of New York at Cobleskill

SUNY Cobleskill Commencement Ceremony & Academic Regalia Guide

The 107th commencement ceremony at SUNY Cobleskill is held outdoors adjacent to the Neal Robbins Field House, typically in May. The ceremony begins at 2:00 p.m., with graduates lining up one hour prior in full academic regalia. Guests attend without reserved seating or tickets. The ceremony lasts about two hours and is followed by a reception for graduates, families, faculty, and staff. Guests may photograph from the seating area — stage‑side photography is reserved for the contracted photographer.

Graduation regalia (cap, gown, tassel, and for bachelor’s students, a discipline hood) is available for purchase from the College Store beginning early April; pre‑ordering is not required. The bachelor’s regalia bundle is priced at $125 (plus tax), while the associate bundle (cap, gown, tassel) costs $75 (plus tax). Individual pieces can also be bought “à la carte.”

On commencement day, graduates assemble in full gown and mortarboard, with the tassel worn on the right side until degrees are conferred by the President. After the degree is awarded, tassels are customarily moved to the left.

Although SUNY Cobleskill’s official school colors are orange and black, the publicly available commencement materials do not specify tassel, hood, honor cord, or stole colors tied to academic disciplines or honors societies. There is no published “tassel‑chart” or color‑code for honor cords or stoles on the commencement web pages or the Registrar’s PDF.

Regarding honor cords and stoles, while such items are common in U.S. academic ceremonies, there is no mention of specific colors, honor‑cord criteria, or approved stoles on the SUNY Cobleskill site. Any cords or stoles would need explicit prior approval.

Summary: SUNY Cobleskill’s commencement emphasizes formal academic regalia (cap, gown, tassel, hood) purchased from the College Store. Tassels are initially on the right and moved after degree conferral. The institution does not publicly publish a color‑code for tassels, hoods, honor cords or stoles. Students ordering regalia typically receive standard black gown and cap; additional items should be verified with the College Store or Registrar. For honors cords or stoles, students should check with the Office of Campus Events or Registrar for any applicable guidelines.

Bachelor (Undergraduate) Regalia

• Graduation gown: traditional black undergraduate gown.
• Cap (mortarboard): black with tassel.
• Tassel: worn on right, moved to left after degree conferral.
• Hood: discipline hood (color‑bordered) reflecting major department’s academic field.
• Honor cords / stoles: available for eligible students — colors depend on academic discipline or honors society; standard honor‑cord colors follow established academic dress codes (e.g. golden yellow for science, maize for agriculture, light blue for education, etc.).

Master’s Regalia

• Graduation gown: master‑style gown (long sleeve and appropriate cut).
• Cap: black mortarboard.
• Tassel: color corresponding to academic discipline, or black if unspecified.
• Hood: full master’s hood with lining of SUNY Cobleskill colors and border in discipline‑specific hue.
• Honor cords / stoles: for academic honors, institutional or departmental affiliations — color varies by discipline or honor society.

Doctoral Regalia

• Gown: doctoral gown, often with velvet trim in standard academic‑dress tradition.
• Cap: doctoral tam or mortarboard (depending on institutional practices).
• Tassel: typically gold or other distinguished color indicating doctoral-level degree.
• Hood: doctoral hood with institutional lining and discipline‑colored border.
• Honor cords / stoles: optional, for honors or special affiliation; color based on discipline or honor group.

Faculty & Other Academic Staff Regalia

• Faculty gown and hood reflecting their highest earned degree.
• Cap: tam or mortarboard as per tradition.
• Tassel and hood border colors correspond to their academic discipline and awarding institution.

Discipline‑Color Guide (Tassels, Hoods, Stoles)

• Agriculture: maize
• Arts, Humanities, Letters: white
• Business, Commerce, Accountancy: drab
• Education: light blue
• Engineering: orange
• Fine Arts / Architecture: brown
• Forestry / Environmental Studies: russet
• Medicine / Health Sciences: green or appropriate shade
• Nursing: apricot
• Public Administration / Policy: peacock blue
• Music: pink
• Law: purple
• Science: golden yellow or discipline‑specific hue

Honor cords or stoles may reflect honors societies, departmental recognition, or special affiliations (international, service, cultural, etc.). Their colors vary by institution or organization. Students should verify with the Registrar or College Store for approved colors and purchase options.

Note: To confirm the exact colors of the graduation gown, cap, tassel, honor cords, and stoles for your specific program at State University of New York at Cobleskill , you can reach out directly to the college's administration or the office responsible for commencement and student services. They can provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding academic regalia.