One colorful aspect of an academic procession is the wearing of full academic garb by faculty, members of the Board of Governors and guests.

American universities have adopted a standardized code of academic costume. Each piece of apparel has a special meaning.

Gowns originated when higher education students were clerics and wore clothing that the church considered appropriate. In addition, gowns may have been used to help students keep warm in cold buildings.

The bachelor's gown has long pointed sleeves and is worn closed at the throat. A gown for the master's degree has oblong sleeves, open at the wrist and tapered in the back. It can be worn open or closed. Gowns worn by doctoral recipients have bell-shaped sleeves featuring three chevrons. The gown also may have velvet on its front.

Wearing a mortarboard stems from the ancient Roman custom of conferring upon slaves the right to wear a cap when they became free. Tassels attached to the cap's top are either black or the color associated with the area of study.

The academic hood is trimmed in velvet with the color of the subject in which the degree was granted.

For all academic purposes, the colors for particular subjects are:

Agriculture - Maize
Arts, Letters, Humanities - White
Commerce, Accountancy, Business - Drab
Dentistry - Lilac
Economics - Copper
Education - Light Blue
Engineering- Orange
Fine Arts - Brown
Forestry- Russet
Journalism - Crimson
Law - Purple
Library Science - Lemon
Medicine - Green
Music - Pink
Nursing - Apricot
Oratory (Speech) - Silver Gray
Pharmacy - Olive Green
Philosophy - Dark Blue
Physical Ed. - Sage Green
Public Admin. - Peacock Blue
Public Health - Salmon Pink
Science - Golden Yellow
Social Work - Citron
Theology- Scarlet
Veterinary Science - Gray