2 4 1 S T  C O M M E N C E M E N T  C E R E M O N Y  |  2 7
The Code of Academic Costume
An 1894 conference of representatives of leading American 
institutions adopted a uniform code of academic dress. The 
code was revised by the American Council on Education in 
1932 and again in 1959.
Black gowns recommended for use have certain characteristics. 
The bachelor’s gown has pointed sleeves, the master’s has 
oblong sleeves, and the doctor’s gown has bell‑shaped sleeves. 
The bachelor and master gowns have no trimmings. The 
doctor’s gown is faced down the front with black velvet with 
three bars of the same across the sleeves. The velvet may be the 
color distinction of the subject to which the degree pertains, 
agreeing in color with the edging of the hood.
For all academic purposes, including trimmings of doctor’s 
gowns, edging of hoods and tassels of caps, colors associated 
with different subjects are: Agriculture, Maize; Arts, Letters, 
Humanities, White; Commerce, Accountancy, Business, 
Drab; Economics, Copper; Education, Light Blue; Fine Arts, 
Brown; Journalism, Crimson; Law, Purple; Library Science, 
Lemon; Music, Pink; Nursing, Apricot; Speech, Silver Gray; 
Philosophy, Dark Blue; Physical Education, Sage Green; Public 
Administration, Peacock Blue; Public Health, Salmon Pink; 
Science, Golden Yellow; Social Work, Citron; Theology, Scarlet.
The bachelor’s hood length is three feet, the master’s is three 
and one‑half feet; and the doctor’s is four feet. The hood for the 
latter has panels at the side. The hoods are lined with the official 
color or colors of the college or university which conferred the 
degree; more than one color is shown by the division of the 
field color.
The hood binding or edging is velvet or velveteen, in widths 
of two, three and five inches for the bachelor’s, master’s, 
and doctor’s respectively. The color of the edging should be 
distinctive of the subject to which the degree pertains. The 
black academic cap is usually shaped like a mortar board. The 
tassel is black or the color appropriate to the subject to which 
the degree pertains. The only exception is the doctor’s cap 
which may have its tassel of gold thread.
(Prepared by Louis E. Schmier, Professor of History)                                      
Board of Regents
The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia 
was created in 1931 as part of a reorganization of Georgia’s 
state government. With this act, public higher education in 
Georgia was unified for the first time under a single governing 
and management authority. The governor appoints members 
of the Board to a seven year term and regents may be 
reappointed to subsequent terms by a sitting governor. Regents 
donate their time and expertise to serve the state through 
their governance of the University System of Georgia – the 
position is a voluntary one without financial remuneration. 
Today the Board of Regents is composed of 19 members, 
five of whom are appointed from the state-at-large, and one 
from each of the state’s 14 congressional districts. The Board 
elects a chancellor who serves as its chief executive officer and 
the chief administrative officer of the University System. The 
Board oversees the colleges and universities that comprise the 
University System of Georgia, and has oversight of the Georgia 
Archives Service and the Georgia Public Library.
The Honorable Sonny Perdue
Chancellor
Board of Regents
• Tom Bradbury
• Chris Cannon
• David B. Dove (Chair)
• Richard “Tim” Evans
• Erin Hames
• Samuel D. Holmes
• James M. Hull
• Cade Joiner
• Patrick C. Jones
• C. Everett Kennedy, III
• Lowery Houston May
• Neil L. Pruitt, Jr.
• Harold Reynolds
• Dr. Deep J. Shah (Vice Chair)
• T. Dallas Smith 
• Haynes M. Studstill
• Mat Swift
• James K. Syfan, III

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