ASU Graduation and Cronkite Convocation

Graduation ceremonies at ASU include the university-wide commencement ceremonies and school-specific convocation events, held twice a year (at the end of the Fall and Spring semesters) to honor students graduating with undergraduate and graduate degrees. Learn more about graduation plans and find event calendars at graduation.asu.edu.

University Graduate and Undergraduate Commencement ceremonies are the university-wide ceremonies at which President Crow confers degrees. At Graduate Commencement, doctoral graduates have their names read and cross the stage; master degree candidates are announced by college, but not individually. At Undergraduate Commencement, undergraduates are presented by college, but not individually. Full-time faculty representatives serve as Cronkite delegates at each event.

Convocation events, hosted by individual colleges, celebrate individual achievement, and are the ceremonies where all graduates’ names are called. The Cronkite School hosts its Cronkite Convocation ceremony, where graduating students have their names read and walk across the stage to receive their congratulations from the deans. 

Full-time faculty are required to participate, wear regalia (see below) and sit on stage as part of the platform party. Faculty associates are invited but not required to participate in the ceremony and join the platform party. Cronkite staff members are expected to be available the evening of convocation to help execute the event.

All faculty are required to wear academic regalia at graduation ceremonies. Faculty must buy or rent their own regalia: ASU may not supply it (see ASU’s prohibited transactions policy, FIN 401-3). 

RENTING REGALIA: Faculty may rent regalia up to about six weeks before a ceremony; rent regalia via Herff Jones, and pick it up on campus during the pick-up window indicated on the rental order. If you miss the rental period, the Sun Devil Campus Store (Tempe location only!) stocks limited, generic regalia available for last-minute rental.

PURCHASING REGALIA: Faculty may purchase regalia via Herff Jones. Purchases require at least six weeks of lead time (expedited options are available at additional cost).

REGALIA GUIDELINES: Regalia signifies the academic achievements of the faculty wearing it.

• Faculty with a bachelor’s degree wear a plain black robe with no cap.
• Faculty with a master’s degree wear plain black robes with long extensions that drop from the wrist to below the knee, and a hood with a black shell and interior colors that denote their degree. The color of the hood’s velvet edge represents the specific degree or discipline, while the satin field and chevron represent the university or college that conferred the degree. They do not wear caps.
• Faculty with a doctoral degree wear a doctoral gown with wide sleeves and velvet panels and chevrons that signify the university that conferred the degree. They also wear a broader doctoral hood with colors that denote their degree, and an eight-sided, tassled tam hat.