Academic Regalia
University Regalia
Traditions surround the use of academic regalia in higher education institutions here and abroad. Most universities in the Philippines follow the American-European customs in the design and use of regalia, from undergraduate togas to doctoral togas and even that of officials. The Brand Book introduces official academic regalia for use by the university and its contituents.
The new academic regalia of the Visayas State University is exclusive for use by graduates of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, as well as faculty of the university. The President and members of the VSU Board of Regents also have their appropriate regalia. Anyone who wears the university regalia shall wear them properly and according to their degree or position.
Undergraduate Regalia
The new VSU undergraduate gown follows the traditional bachelor’s toga which spans from shoulder to knee or below-knee length. The robe is dark green and is made of quality fabric with pleating. It sports a bell sleeve. The toga is lined with gold embroidery in strategic areas, especially around the shoulder where it overalys the robe with the VSU Brand Logo in wireframe form. The university medallion may be hanged at the base of the collar.
The bachelor’s graduate wears a mortarboard cap with a tassle that bears the color of the graduate’s academic field. The undergraduate toga does not have any hood.
Masters Regalia
Like the undergraduate gown, the fabric of the gown for master’s degree graduates is mainly dark green. The classic masters toga has an odd sleeve, with an opening before the elbows for the person’s arms, but the sleeve extends into a closed end about the length of the gown (also knee or below-knee in length).
Master’s graduates sport a hood accented with VSU Gold. The mortarboard cap has a tassle that bears the color of the graduate’s academic field.
Doctoral Regalia
Graduates of doctoral degrees wear the most prestigious of academic regalia. The full robe is dark green and sports a ball sleeve, a thick velvet
panel and three velvet chevrons in VSU Gold. The velvet panel features an embroidered VSU Brand Logo in wireframe on both sides of the chest. The three chevrons signify the doctorate degree. The hood sports the color of the academic field, while the other side that folds outward consists of VSU Green and Gold, the colors of the university.
The hood shall be worn by the Ph.D. graduate on the hooding ceremony during his or her graduation.
The doctor also wears a green beret with a tassle that corresponds to the color of the degree’s academic field.
Faculty Regalia
According to tradition, an academic wears the regalia of the institution where he or she obtained his or her highest degree. Although this is the case, faculty of the university are entitled to wear the university-prescribed regalia according to the highest degree that he or she has obtained.
To this end, faculty who are doctorate degree holders shall wear VSU’s doctorate regalia, while non-doctorate degree holders shall wear masters regalia. (It is understood that a master’s degree is the entry level degree to become college faculty.)
Presidential and Regent Regalia
The members of the VSU Board of Regents shall wear the Regent gown, patterned after the doctorate gown, without the velvet chevrons and hood. However, three lines circumscribe each sleeve. The gown is VSU Gold with a VSU Green velvet panel running down the center of the robe. The Regent also wears a green beret lined at the top with gold embroidery.
Likewise, the President of the Visayas State University shall wear a special academic gown, patterned after the doctoral gown, but with four velvet chevrons instead of three, to signify presidential status. The gown comes in three color combinations, depending on the context by which it is worn. The goal is to make the President stand out in the academic gathering through his or her distinguished garb. In all the three options, the President shall sport a dark green beret with gold embroidery lining.
Academic Colors
Colors are used in university regalia to signify the academic fields of graduates and faculty. Special parts of the new university regalia allows for the wearer to display his or her academic field, such as the tassel and the hood.
Although there are widely accepted academic colors witht the university may freely adopt, the VSU Academic Council may define specific color assignments for academic fields, only when deemed necessary.
Other Provisions
The following guidelines shall govern the use of the new university regalia among graduates and employees of the university.
Only graduates, candidates for graduation, faculty, officials, and other authorized persons as duly identified by the VSU Academic Council are allowed to wear the university regalia.
The wearer must give due diligence in choosing the most appropriate regalia to wear, as well as pertinent details (such as hood color) according to one’s background.
While graduates have the liberty to take studio photos anywhere, only accredited studios as identified by the University Integrated Media Center are allowed to use the university medallion and branding (university and unit names, seal, brand logo, logotexts, etc) in digital and print distributions of graduate photos. The UIMC shall provide further guidelines in the use of branding materials in accordance with this book.