Regalia
Traditional caps and gowns are recommended at all WSU in-person Commencement ceremonies.
Those being commissioned as officers in the ROTC program may choose to wear either their military uniform or a cap and gown.
Student Regalia Rental
- Rent regalia directly from the Herff Jones website.
- Student deadline to rent regalia: April 12.
- Early bird site opens on 1/8 and closes on 2/16
- Regular price site opens on 2/17 and closes on 3/22
- Express ship site opens on 3/23
- Regalia rental return deadline: 5/11
- Up until 2/16 at 9 p.m. PST, students who order regalia online will have the option to pick up their regalia at the WSU Tri-Cities Bookie on 3/19.
- Starting 3/20, Bachelor students with non-extended size requests can purchase and immediately pick up their regalia in store.
- Masters and PhD students, and/or students with requests for extended sizes (<5’, >6’4, over 250 lbs) will also have option to order in store on 3/20 and after, but they will have to wait between one to four weeks to have their regalia ready to be picked up.
- Starting 3/23, any student who wishes to order online will only have the option for direct ship to home.
- Starting 4/12, there is no online option to rent regalia. The only option at this point is to order and pickup regalia in store. There will be limited availability for masters and Ph.D. students, as well as extended sizes as noted above.
- Special accommodation gowns available for those in wheelchairs.
- Other graduation products are also available from Herff Jones.
Returning Rentals
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Regalia rentals ordered online and shipped to your home must be returned via mail by May 11th.
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Regalia rentals picked up at The Bookie must be returned back to The Bookie by 3pm on Friday, May 10th.
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This applies to orders placed online or at The Bookie.
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Faculty Regalia Rental
- Faculty must order their own regalia through the Herff Jones faculty site.
- If ordered after 3/22, faculty will need to pay for their own rentals.
Honor Cords
| Honor | GPA |
|---|---|
| Cum Laude | 3.50 - 3.69 |
| Magna Cum Laude | 3.70 - 3.89 |
| Summa Cum Laude | 3.90 or higher |
If you qualify for an honor cord, you will receive an email with information on when and where to pick them up leading up to Commencement.
Nomination Policies for Honor Cords
- Final grades for Fall 2023 are due December 20th.
- Nominations for honors are reported to Academic Advising for Spring 2024 Graduation using Fall 2023 Cumulative GPA.
- Invitations for the pickup of honor cords are emailed directly to nominees Mid-March 2024 after the graduation deadline.
- Must apply on time for graduation by Friday, March 1st.
See section 137 of the Washington State University Academic Regulations for further details.
April 25th – 29th
May 2nd – 6th
Honor cords will also be available for pickup on the day of Commencement at the Toyota Center.
Your WSU student ID is required to pick up your honor cords.
Final honors status (printed on your diploma and official transcript) will be based on all WSU graded credits and grade point average through your last term as an undergraduate, degree-seeking student.
Honor cords are based on fall 2021 hours and GPA.
Only undergraduates are eligible for honor cords; graduate students receive hoods.
The WSU Tri-Cities Bookie will have various graduation items available for purchase on campus before the day of Commencement.
509-375-1084
Regalia Tips
- Undergraduate students wear tassels on the right side.
- Master’s and Doctoral students wear tassels on the left side.
- Remove academic caps during the posting of the colors and national anthem.
- Wear your stoles, sashes, and cords underneath the crimson/grey University yoke. Pull the yoke up snug to your throat with no sagging or gaping. (To do this, reach around to the back and pull the end of the yoke down.)
- Doctoral candidates, remove your tam during hooding.
- Check out this tutorial for information on how to wear your master’s hood.
- Check out this video from WSU Vancouver for a graduate hooding demonstration!
Q&A Regarding Regalia and Graduation Announcements
Still waiting to receive your regalia?
If you have made arrangements to have regalia shipped to your home and it has not arrived yet, please contact Herff Jones customer service representative Howard Byrd at 503-701-9214 to track your order.
Problems with the regalia shipped to your home?
If the regalia order shipped to your home is not correct, please contact Herff Jones customer service representative Howard Byrd at 503-701-9214.
Do I need to wear regalia in order to participate in commencement?
Absolutely not! The most important thing is that you get to celebrate your graduation with your family, friends, and classmates. Regalia is not required. We want to be able to honor your achievements regardless of regalia. Please join us!
Graduation announcements late or don’t meet your expectations?
If you have not received your graduation announcements yet or the quality doesn’t meet expectations, please contact Herff Jones customer service representative Howard Byrd at 503-701-9214. This vendor supplies WSU graduation announcements and is committed to addressing any customer service issues.