Spring 2026 Master's Commencement Ceremony Information for Faculty and Staff

Friday, May 15, Alumni Field House (AFH), Dewar Arena
5 p.m. Ceremony:

• Stage party will assemble at 4 p.m. in the Sky Box
• Faculty will assemble at 4 p.m. in the Dance Studio
• Reception to follow in the President’s Garden

Faculty participation at commencement is important to our graduates and families. Please plan to attend the Master’s commencement ceremony and receptions on Friday, May 15, 2026. Let us know that you intend to participate by completing the Faculty/Staff Commencement Participation form.

To select your hood color and academic regalia, please reach out to Red Dragon Outfitters.

Regalia Cost and Deadlines

Commencement Academic Regalia Procedures

Commencement is an official academic ceremony that celebrates the accomplishments of all students who have completed the requirements of their degrees at SUNY Oneonta. In recognition of the significance of commencement, all SUNY Oneonta commencement ceremony participants are required to wear full academic regalia – gown, cap, and tassel (and hood for those holding or earning master’s or doctoral degrees).

To maintain a professional, consistent, ceremonial academic atmosphere while respecting the diverse identities and traditions of all graduating students, all commencement participants must wear full University-approved academic regalia. (Special exceptions include religious officials and military service members who may wear traditional/customary ministerial robes and military service dress uniforms, respectively.)

These procedures apply to all ceremony participants, including:

• Students/Graduates
• Faculty and Staff
• Vice Presidents and Administrators
• President

Procedures

All ceremony participants are required to wear the appropriate academic regalia in concordance with their degree to participate in commencement ceremonies. (see degree-specific information below)

Wearing and adorning gowns:

• Gowns are to remain formal, with no non-academic embellishments/decorations. Gowns must remain zippered for the duration of the ceremony.
• Graduates can wear honor cords, stoles and medals depicting official university and/or department recognitions, or national organization honors. Award pins from organizations are worn on clothes, not academic robes.

Wearing and decorating caps/mortarboards:

• Graduates may decorate the top of their mortarboard.
• Only the top of the mortar board may be decorated. Decorations must remain flat (not increase the height of the cap) so they don’t obstruct the view of other participants.
• Only the traditional tassel may hang down from any side of the cap.
• It is appropriate for mortarboard decorations to have expressions of well-wishes and gratitude or affiliation with campus-sanctioned organizations.
• Decorations should be tasteful and cannot contain advertisements, promote disruptive behavior, reference illegal activities, contain obscenities or slurs, or threaten the safety and welfare of others.
• The cap should be worn flat on the head, so the mortarboard remains parallel to the ground. Do not lean it backwards or sideways – it must not impede the view of those behind you and will be more likely to fall off.

Bachelor’s Academic Regalia

• Includes black academic gown, black mortarboard, and tassel.
• Undergraduate students who are graduating with academic honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude) will receive a special academic honors medallion from the University during Grad HQ.

Master's Academic Regalia

• Includes master's gown, master's hood with identifying discipline color, black mortarboard, and tassel.

Faculty/Staff/Administrator Academic Regalia

• Includes gown, tam, tassel, and hood representing the higher education institution from which they received their highest degree.
• SUNY Oneonta’s official presidential regalia is specific to the president and the University.

All commencement ceremony participants should secure regalia from the Red Dragon Outfitters according to the deadlines listed on their website. Costs for commencement regalia are the responsibility of each graduate. Faculty and staff participants are responsible for securing their own regalia – if needed, gowns, hoods, tams, and more are available for rent or purchase through Red Dragon Outfitters.

The University reserves the right to require ceremony participants remove any adornments or modifications to regalia that are not in alignment with the above procedures before they can participate in the Commencement ceremony.
 

Hooding Instructions

• Process in with all faculty to the Dewar Arena and be seated in the front rows
• Walk up onto stage with your students: The first student within each department will be carrying a card with the department name on it. A volunteer will be assisting with getting you in line in front of your student(s)
• Walk to the first X, located between the two lecterns: This is where you will stand to hood your student(s) — There is a platform available that provides approximately 8 inches of additional height that you can stand on if desired. If you would like to use this, please let the Dance Studio volunteer know during lineup
• Once the next department is announced, walk off stage and return to your seat

Reminder: To keep the ceremony moving smoothly, please refrain from adjusting hair, caps, or fastening buttons during the hooding process