SUNY Cortland Commencement & Academic Regalia Overview

SUNY Cortland hosts formal commencement ceremonies in which all graduates — undergraduate and graduate — wear official academic regalia. For undergraduates, this includes a red graduation gown and matching graduation cap (mortarboard) with tassel. Graduate (master’s or advanced) candidates wear the required cap, gown, hood, and tassel set ordered through the campus store. Only regalia and commencement stoles representing institutional or approved affiliations may be worn.

During the undergraduate ceremony, tassel color signals academic honors: a white tassel designates cum laude, a red-and-white tassel indicates magna cum laude, and a red tassel marks summa cum laude. Students without honors wear the standard black tassel. Some departments and honor societies may also issue cords or additional tassels for program‑specific recognition, pending approval by department chairs or advisors.

For graduate (master’s) commencement, regalia includes a gown with traditional master-style sleeves, a mortarboard cap, tassel, and an academic hood. The hood’s lining and velvet trim reflect both the institution and the academic discipline of the graduate.Faculty and other degree‑holders participating in commencement wear academic robes and hoods corresponding to their highest earned degree and field. International students may wear approved international stoles to reflect study abroad or heritage, subject to the institution’s regalia policy.

The commencement regalia policy ensures a unified, dignified appearance: the red or black graduation gown, cap, and tassel sets — complemented by honor cords, hoods, and approved stoles — together create a cohesive visual statement of academic achievement, institutional pride, and personal recognition. Regalia must be ordered from the official campus store to meet ceremony standards and participation requirements.

SUNY Cortland Academic Regalia & Commencement Overview

The State University of New York at Cortland, Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology, hosts formal commencement ceremonies honoring graduates from bachelor, master, and doctoral programs. All participants are required to wear official academic regalia, which includes graduation gowns, caps (mortarboards), tassels, hoods, honor cords, and stoles. The regalia visually distinguishes graduates by degree level, academic discipline, and honors, ensuring a dignified and professional appearance during the ceremony.

Bachelor’s graduates wear a traditional red graduation gown paired with a matching mortarboard cap. Tassels are black by default, while gold or department-specific honor cords may be worn for academic excellence or honor society membership. Approved stoles recognize student achievements, leadership roles, or cultural affiliations, maintaining a unified and formal appearance aligned with SUNY Cortland’s commencement standards.

Master’s graduates wear black gowns with long, square sleeves, accompanied by a mortarboard cap and an academic hood. The hood lining displays SUNY Cortland’s institutional colors, and the velvet trim denotes the graduate’s academic discipline, such as white for arts, golden yellow for sciences, or orange for applied technology. Tassels remain black, and approved honor cords or stoles may be included for academic distinction or society membership, visually setting master’s graduates apart from undergraduates.

Doctoral graduates wear gowns with velvet panels and three velvet bars on each sleeve. Doctoral hoods are larger, lined with institutional colors, and feature velvet trim representing the discipline of study. Caps may be mortarboards or velvet tams, and tassels often feature gold or other distinctions. Approved honor cords or stoles may be added to highlight academic achievements, providing a prestigious and distinctive appearance.

Faculty regalia reflects the highest earned degree and academic discipline. Applied Sciences and Technology disciplines typically use golden yellow for sciences, orange for engineering/technology, white for arts and humanities, light blue for education, and other standard academic colors for additional fields. Faculty robes and hoods complement graduates’ attire, creating a cohesive, professional, and ceremonious commencement experience.

Google Store-Style Listing Highlights

• Red cap & gown sets for undergraduate graduates; black sets for master’s and doctoral candidates
• Standard black or gold tassels, plus discipline-specific honor cords and approved stoles
• Master’s and Doctoral hoods with SUNY Cortland institutional colors and discipline velvet trim
• Doctoral gowns with velvet panels and optional tam caps
• Faculty regalia sets reflecting highest earned degrees and academic fields
• Complete cap, gown, tassel, hood, and accessory sets ready for formal commencement ceremonies