Revview the policies below to prepare for Bowen鈥檚 commencement and hooding ceremony, including requirements for academic regalia and expectations for graduates and guests.
Hooding Ceremony
The graduating class votes to elect two (2) faculty members to administer the hooding during the ceremony.
- Hooding: The graduate processes onto the stage carrying their unbuttoned hood over their right arm, where the two elected faculty hooders take the hood from the graduate鈥檚 arm and place the hood over the graduate’s head.
- Diploma Cover: The graduate receives their official diploma cover.
- Stage Greetings: The graduate shakes hands with the Dean, Chancellor, Provost, and any present members of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Board of Trustees.
Stage Access and Safety
Children are permitted to walk with their parents across the stage during the ceremony.
To maintain safety, stage flow, and decorum, other family members and non-graduating guests are strictly prohibited from accompanyinggraduates onto the stage, walking across the stage, or being present in the diploma line at any point during the ceremony.
Ceremony Decorum
Artificial noisemakers of any kind (including air horns, megaphones, cowbells, and clappers) are strictly prohibited inside the ceremony venue.
Audience members and graduates are asked to maintain silence whenever a speaker is at the podium or delivering remarks. Noise and cheering should be withheld while graduate names are being read so that every graduate鈥檚 name can be heard clearly by all attending families and guests.
Academic Regalia Requirements
- Stoles: Only members of the Arkansas Journal of Social Change and Public Service, Law Review, Moot Court, Student Bar Association (SBA), and Trial Team are authorized to wear organizational stoles.
- Cords: All other recognized student organizations wear cords.
All graduates participating in the Hooding or Commencement ceremonies must wear standard Juris Doctor academic regalia, consisting of a doctoral gown, a J.D. hood, and a doctoral tam/cap with a tassel.
- Gown: Robes must be worn zipped up for the duration of the ceremony.
- Tam/Cap & Tassel: The tam or cap is worn with the tassel positioned on the graduate’s right side prior to degree conferral. Tassels are shifted from right to left upon walking o铿� the stage.
- Hood Preparation: Prior to being hooded, hoods must be unbuttoned and draped over the graduate’s right arm with the thin seamed side at the collarbone and the black loop closest to the neck.
Academic Honors and Institutional Recognition
- Summa Cum Laude (Top GPA Tier / 3.70+ Minimum GPA): Gold Stole
- Magna Cum Laude (3.50+ Minimum GPA): Silver Stole
- Cum Laude (3.30+ Minimum GPA): White Stole
- Student Honor Marshals: Maroon Stoles
- Bowen Fellows: Maroon Cord
- Dean’s Certificate of Public Service: Red Cord
- Dean’s Certificate of Distinguished Service: Double Red Cords
Student Organization Stoles and Cords
- Law Review Board & Members: Purple Stole
- Student Bar Association: Silver and Light Blue Stole
- Trial Team: Orange Stole
- Moot Court Board & Team: Royal Blue Stole
- Arkansas Journal of Social Change & Public Service: Red and Green Stole
- American Constitution Society: Red, White, and Navy Cord
- American Bar Association: Blue and Gold Cord
- Arkansas Association of Women Lawyers: Pink and Purple Cord
- Arkansas Criminal Law Association: Orange Cord
- Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association: Gold, Red, and Blue Cord
- Black Law Students Association: Red, Yellow, and Green Cord
- Bowen Environmental Law Society: Forest Green and Silver Cord
- Business and Tax Law Society: Black and Gold Cord
- Cannabis Law Society: Green and Gold Cord
- Center for Racial Justice: Maroon and Gold Cord
- Christian Legal Society: Gold and Red Cord
- Delta Theta Phi: Double Green and White Cord
- Federalist Society: White and Royal Blue Cord
- First Generation Law Student Organization: Teal and Mint Cord
- Health Law Society: Purple and Silver Cord
- If/When/How: Teal Cord
- Latin American Law Students Association: Red and Black Cord
- Military Law Society: Double Red, White, and Blue Cord
- National Lawyers Guild Student Chapter: Green Cord
- OutLaw Legal Society: Lavender Cord
- Phi Alpha Delta: Purple and Gold Cord
- Pulaski County Bar Association: White and Gold Cord
- Second Amendment Society: Green and White Cord
- Sports & Entertainment Law Student Society: Royal Blue and Yellow Cord
- Student Animal Legal Defense Fund: Burgundy Cord
- Student Wellness Society: White and Royal Blue Cord
- The Finch Society: Yellow Cord
- Young Democrats: Royal Blue Cord
- Young Republicans: Red and White Cord
Regalia Ordering and Distribution
Graduates must purchase regalia online or directly in person through the university bookstore by published term deadlines. Individual ordering is required; group regalia orders are not accepted.
- Institutional Honors & Co-Curricular Stoles: Distributed through the Dean’s O铿�ice / O铿�ice of Student A铿�airs.
- Student Organization Cords: Managed and distributed directly by each individual student organization’s executive board.