Graduation

hi, I just had a quick question...
are you "obliged" to wear a gown and hood at your graduation ceremony? Is a correct suit just enough? the congregation pack is not really clear, and honestly I don't plan to spend to much time and effort on that day so I'll be happy enough with my suit...

Reply 1

IAJTHOMAS

"undergraduates are to wear gowns "of the approved pattern" in certain circumstances, although the pattern itself is not specified. This is not too important since, in practise, undergraduates are never required to be gowned except when graduating."

From wikipedia, for what its worth...

Reply 2

Rugar

You MUST wear the gown specified on the guide; there is a specific company that rents/sells them. Senate house says that they will not permit people into the ceremony who are graduating without a gown.

Hat's aren't worn for undergrads, it's a historical reason (something about how bristol let women graduate back in the day with men and they refused to distinguish them)

Reply 3

IAJTHOMAS

Rugar

Hat's aren't worn for undergrads, it's a historical reason (something about how bristol let women graduate back in the day with men and they refused to distinguish them)

That's a myth, Bristol was always co-educational, even when it University College Bristol and a part of the university of London.

Reply 4

splunket

IAJTHOMAS

That's a myth, Bristol was always co-educational, even when it University College Bristol and a part of the university of London.

Who was disagreeing? Like you both said women graduated with men at Bristol since day one.

Reply 5

ThE_OnE

ive heard this 'myth' too... so why dont we ware hats then?

Reply 6

christhomas

Almighty Wikipedia states:

"Students gaining degrees from Bristol (apart from honorary graduates) are in the select group of British students who do not wear mortarboards at graduation. According to legend, this is because, at an early graduation ceremony, the male graduands all threw their headgear either at the female graduands, or off the Clifton Suspension Bridge, by way of 'protest' at coeducation. Subsequently mortarboards were not worn. This legend is told of a number of other universities and is almost certainly untrue, particularly given that University College Bristol was coeducational before the University proper even existed."

Um...yeah, not much help, come to think of it.

Oh well...

Reply 7

abood

so basically the guys chucked their hats at the girls...in a glorious display of chivalry and maturity.

niice.

all in favour of forming a group to re-enact this historical event just PM me :biggrin: