Change to 2026 Commencement Regalia Causes Frustration Among Graduates

Graduation is fast approaching, and seniors are eager to welcome family and begin the end-of-year festivities. As they begin preparing for their special day, they notice a change when picking up their cap and gowns. Undergraduatesdid not receive a hood or what they described to be the proper tassel color that is supposed to correlate with the degree they are graduating with. When students asked Clarke Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs, Jan Garfield, about these missing pieces, they were notified that this year’s undergraduate commencement regalia has been modified. Undergraduate students are no longer receiving hoods, and since the color of the hood and the color of the tassels coincided with one another, everyone’s tassels would be black due to the absence of the hood. This year, only master’s and doctoral graduates will wear a hood at commencement.

Last years undergraduates with hoods and colored tassels.

The reasoning behind this decision to change regalia, according to Garfield and Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs, Becky Bruxvoort, is that “it aligns with broader academic tradition across most institutions, where hooding is reserved for graduate-level degrees.” They state that this decision was made carefully by the Vice President of Academic Affairs at the time, following the 2025 commencement ceremony, and is being implemented this year. Additionally, students were confused as to why the cost for their cap and gown had increased by five dollars when they were in fact receiving less compared to the year prior. Bruxvoort addresses this concern, saying that the cost goes up by the same amount every year and that includes not only the regalia but also things such as the diploma cover and overall graduation fee.

Aside from the absence of the hoods for undergrads and the uniform black tassel, the parts that remain the same include the cords and stoles. Cords will be worn to symbolize honors students graduating summa and magna cum laude, as well as legacy students. Stoles will be worn to signify first-generation graduates.

Although only two changes are being made to the commencement regalia for undergraduate students, the graduates still express their disappointment about not being able to have their hoods and tassels specific in color to their major. One graduate stated that “these colors have been symbolic to Clarke and the programs they represent.” Furthermore, graduates are frustrated with the administration’s lack of communication since there was not and has not been any formal announcement about said changes sent out to graduates. Students were only made aware when they themselves went to pick up their cap and gown one week before graduation.

A decision about graduates was made without input from graduates, causing uneasiness. Especially in a year of eliminating 13 majors and minors, many students feel that taking away individuality in tassels and hoods for undergraduates is “poor timing”. With the dying out or overall removal of their programs, students feel that they have been stripped of their opportunity to physically showcase their major on their person when walking across the stage. With only a week before commencement, graduates are not hopeful of a restoration of regalia but still wish to express their distaste for this year’s changes.