Cap and gown rental orders will be accepted on the myAU.american.edu portal from approximately March 20 through April 9. Exact fit cannot be guaranteed for late orders.
All students participating in commencement rent or purchase special academic regalia in the university’s distinctive red, white, and blue colors. This regalia includes a cap and gown (and a hood, for masters’ and doctoral degree recipients, applicable to the recipient’s area of specialty). Rental regalia is owned by Herff Jones and was designed specifically for AU.
Becoming Eligible to Participate in Commencement
At the start of the last intended semester at AU, the student completes an Application to Graduate form online. The application triggers a review of the student's record, in order to determine if all degree requirements will be completed at the end of the term. Students on-track to graduate are deemed "eligible" to participate in commencement and will be mailed the "Regalia postcard" in late March, with instructions on renting regalia.
Students who cannot complete degree requirements during spring semester are eligible to participate in a later ceremony and must reapply for graduation at the start of their last semester.
The university strictly enforces the policy for participation in commencement. Students are responsible for maintaining an appropriate course load and completing degree requirements in time to be eligible for their targeted graduation. Only those students whose academic records indicate that they can satisfy degree requirements by the end of the term for which they have filed an application to graduate will be permitted to participate in the May commencement.
Latin Honors or University Honors
Undergraduate students who are projected to graduate with Latin Honors or University Honors, as of the end of fall semester 2011, will receive a gold cord (with their rental regalia) signifying academic achievement to wear during the commencement ceremony.
The notation of Latin Honors and University Honors in the commencement program (and used to determine distribution of gold cords for use during the ceremony) is based on fall semester grades, since commencement occurs before spring semester grades have been recorded. The diploma and transcript are the only official means of certification and reflect all course work counted toward the degree. If a student is found to have met the requirements for Latin Honors or University Honors after spring semester grades are applied, it will be noted on the diploma and transcript.
For additional information about Academic Honors, see the Academic Regulations (section 25.10.00.13 in Conduct of Classes: Evaluation of Student Academic Performance) on the Registrar's Office Web site.
Placing Your Regalia Rental Order
Students who have been declared eligible to graduate will be mailed a postcard in late March with further instructions on renting regalia. In order to ensure availability, on-time orders should be placed via the myAU.american portal by April 9 and will require a credit card. We will need your height and approximate weight, in order to ensure proper fit. Orders with missing information will not be completed.
Orders received after April 9 are subject to availability and will be accepted via the myAU.american.edu portal until 5:00 pm, Monday, April 30. To place an order after April 30, students should fill out a paper form in AU Central, then complete payment in the Campus Store.
The rental fee for regalia, including taxes, is approximately $42 (bachelor’s), $85 (master’s), and $114 (doctoral regalia).
Picking Up and Returning Regalia
The location to pick up and return caps and gowns is the Campus Store (2nd floor, Butler Pavilion). Pickup will be during regular business hours from Wednesday, May 9, through Friday, May 11, in the Campus Store (lower level) and during the commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 12, and Sunday, May 13. All regalia, except the tassel, must be signed in and returned by 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 13. Persons who do not return regalia will be charged the full purchase price (approximately $400 for bachelor's regalia).
Purchasing vs. Renting Regalia
Some graduates (typically doctoral degree recipients going into university teaching positions and those who might need regalia for ceremonial occasions) opt to purchase regalia, which ranges from $400 to $775. The price depends upon the type of fabric and trim chosen. It takes up to eight weeks to process an order, and orders to purchase regalia are due March 12. Persons who purchase regalia, but whose orders are not completed before the May 12 and 13 ceremonies, will need to rent regalia.
