Faculty and Staff


Celebrating our graduates together

Convocation is a time where our faculty and staff gather with graduates and their supporters to celebrate the rewarding work we all do as an academic community to educate and guide our students on their journey toward this important milestone.

There are many ways to get involved with Convocation. Please connect with the Convocation Team if you are interested in volunteering.

Gowns for Faculty and Staff

Faculty and staff are asked to wear the hood and gown to Convocation that represents their highest degree in the style of the awarding institution. Most institutions are happy to allow you to borrow academic dress for this purpose. For those who do not own their own academic dress but are Dalhousie graduates, academic dress can be borrowed for the day of Convocation.

Faculty and staff who do not own academic dress are required to reserve academic dress in advance of the ceremony they plan to attend. The Academic Dress Reservations portal will open in April.

Dalhousie will continue to cover the full cost for faculty/staff rentals.

Faculty and staff members who did not reserve academic dress in advance will be accommodated on-site on the day of their ceremony. Please visit the Gowns Room approximately 45 minutes before the ceremony for assistance.  

Gowns Room Location and Hours

Location:
Council Chambers, 2nd floor, Student Union Building (Halifax)
MacRae Learning Commons (Truro)

Hours:
Check back in April for Spring 2024 hours

For those faculty members who wish to purchase academic dress, the Registrar's Office can provide assistance in determining the correct colour and style of hoods and gowns for both Dalhousie degrees, as well as those from other institutions. Email the Convocation Team for names of suppliers.

Faculty and Staff Onstage

Assemble at the main level of the venue, in academic dress, one half hour before the start of the ceremony. 

The Grand Marshal has a predetermined seating plan and is there to place you in the appropriate order. The plan ensures platform party guests and faculty are appropriately seated according to their role onstage. Individuals who participate in the ceremony are seated in the front row and their seats are reserved.

The academic procession begins approximately 10 minutes before the scheduled start of the ceremony. You are led into the auditorium by the Grand Marshal through the side-stage entrance. Remain standing until you are invited by the Provost to sit down. 

At the close of the ceremony, the Beadle will lead the platform party off stage. 

Marshals

Representatives from each Faculty participate as Marshals during Convocation. The role of the Marshal is a very important one; as they assist with lining up graduates prior to the start of each ceremony, lead graduates into the Auditorium and assist during the ceremony.

PhD Supervisors

PhD supervisors are recognized at Convocation as being a major part of the graduate's experience at Dalhousie. The Dean will ask the supervisor to stand when the name of their PhD graduate is read. The supervisor, if present, stands acknowledging the work of the PhD graduate. PhD graduates are invited to join the faculty on stage for the remainder of the ceremony and in the recessional.

PhD supervisors are asked to confirm their attendance with the Admissions and Convocation Officer (fgs.convocation@dal.ca) in the Faculty of Graduate Studies.