Graduation ceremonies

Facts about the University's graduation ceremonies

• Graduation ceremony schedule
  Senate has delegated authority to the Registrar to approve dates of graduation ceremonies, and to change the disciplines to be presented at any ceremony or the scheduled time of any ceremony, after appropriate consultation with the faculties, colleges and boards of studies concerned and after appropriate notice to the graduands concerned.
• The Great Hall
  Graduation ceremonies are held in the Great Hall, Quadrangle.
• The Mace
  The Mace is the symbol of the authority of Senate, and at graduation ceremonies and other official occasions it is normally carried in procession before the Chancellor by the Esquire Bedell.
• Esquire Bedell
  The Esquire Bedell normally carries the Mace before the Chancellor at graduation ceremonies and other official occasions.
• The Lady Hailsham Staff
  The Lady Hailsham Staff, presented to the University in February 1982 by the Sir Robert Menzies Oration Committee, is a memorial to Lady Hailsham who died tragically in a horse riding accident in Sydney two days before her husband, Lord Hailsham of St Marylebone, delivered the Inaugural Oration in the Great Hall in May 1978. The staff was designed by Mr D Connolly MP and crafted by V Hemmingsen of Adelaide and P Noakes of Sydney. It is surmounted by a Viscoutess's coronet (a mark of Lady Hailsham's rank) on top of a thistle of silver and a ball of Connemara marble. All metals used are of gold and silver. The coronet is studded with sapphires from Sri Lanka, where Lady Hailsham spent part of her childhood. The marble was donated by Lord Mayo and is from the county in Ireland where Lady Hailsham's family originated from. The thistle symbolises the association with Sir Robert Menzies. The staff is made of Tasmanian blackwood with tip and joins in silver. It is carried in procession by the Yeoman Bedell.
• Conferring degrees/diplomas
  Under the University of Sydney Act 1989, the Senate of the University of Sydney confers degrees (including ad eundem degrees and honorary degrees) and awards diplomas and other certificates. Senate has delegated authority to the Chancellor, the Deputy Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, the Chair of the Academic Board and the Pro-Chancellors to admit to the appropriate degree/s, and to award the appropriate diploma/s at graduation ceremonies to, those who have qualified for degrees and diplomas concerned and whose names appear in the printed lists contained in the official programs.
• Conferring honorary awards
  Senate, on the recommendation of its Advisory Committee for Honorary Awards, approves the award of honorary degrees and Honorary Fellowships, which are conferred at graduation ceremonies.
• Academic dress
  Senate has delegated authority to the Registrar to approve Resolutions of the Senate relating to academic dress for degrees/diplomas.
• Chancellor
  Academic dress for the Chancellor is a robe and cap similar to those worn by the Chancellor of the University of Oxford, i.e. a black silk gown with yoke and facings trimmed with gold, and sleeves barred with gold; and a black velvet trencher with gold tassel, the cap edged with gold.
• Awarding Vice-Chancellor's University awards
  Winners of the following Vice-Chancellor's University awards receive citations from the Academic Board at their respective Faculty graduation ceremonies:
  - Outstanding Teaching
  - Excellence in Research Higher Degree Supervision
  - Support of the Student Experience
• The occasional address
  After the graduands have been admitted to their degrees/diplomas, the Chancellor invites the guest speaker to give the occasional address.
• The Great Hall organ
  The University Organist, Amy Johansen, gives a recital on the Great Hall organ before each graduation ceremony, plays the Processional Rondeau by J Mouret as the academic procession enters the Hall and the assembly stands, and at the end of the ceremony, as the academic procession retires and the assembly stands, plays the Recessional Toccata by J Weaver.
• The Carillon
  The Carillon is played by the University Carillonist, Jill Forrest, at the end of each graduation ceremony.