探花直播Chancellor of the 探花直播聽usually confers honorary doctorates at a special Congregation. 探花直播special Congregation is in June each year. When an honorary MA degree is conferred, however, the Vice-Chancellor does this at the start of an ordinary Degree Congregation.
探花直播processions
On the day of the Honorary Degree Congregation, flags fly and the bells of the 探花直播 Church are rung. 探花直播Chancellor gives a celebratory luncheon in a College. In the early afternoon the Chancellor鈥檚 Procession makes its way from the College to Senate-House Yard. Two Esquire Bedells with the 探花直播鈥檚 silver maces lead the procession. This procession includes the honorary graduands and the principal 探花直播 officers. At the same time another procession forms in the Yard, consisting of Heads of Colleges, professors and higher doctors of the 探花直播, the 探花直播鈥檚 Librarian, the Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum, and members of the 探花直播 Council. Unless there is heavy rain, both processions walk around the Yard before entering the Senate House. Their arrival is greeted with a fanfare of trumpets.
Ceremonial dress
探花直播gowns worn by the honorary graduands and by other higher doctors present are scarlet, with silk linings and facings of different colours according to the degree concerned, apart from the MusD robe, which is cream damask with cherry-red linings and facings.聽Round bonnets are worn, of black velvet with gold cords and tassels, apart from the DD degree, which has a special square cap in black velvet.聽Recipients of an honorary MA degree at an ordinary Degree Congregation wear a black gown and the normal square cap.聽Honorary graduands do not wear hoods to graduate. 探花直播day of the Honorary Degree Congregation in June is a 'scarlet day', when Cambridge doctors wear their scarlet 'festal' gowns instead of black ones. All matriculated members of the 探花直播, including students and alumni, wear academical dress at the ceremony, with hoods if they are graduates.
探花直播Congregation
探花直播Congregation is a formal meeting of the Regent House, the governing body of the 探花直播, on whose authority all degrees, whether full or honorary, are conferred. In addition to members of the Regent House, other members of the 探花直播 community (all staff or retired staff of the 探花直播 and the Colleges, students and alumni) may also apply for tickets. 探花直播 探花直播 also invites certain County and City dignitaries to attend.
探花直播main ceremony
Proceedings are in Latin. They start when the two Proctors, the elected officers of the Regent House, announce the business of the day - to confer honorary doctorates. Authority for the degrees has already been obtained at another Congregation several months beforehand, so there is no possibility of a challenge or vote at this stage. 探花直播Registrary, the 探花直播鈥檚 chief administrative officer who witnesses and records all formal acts of the 探花直播, then presents the Chancellor with a copy of the detailed programme for the occasion. 探花直播Vice-Chancellor sits alongside the Chancellor throughout but does not play an active part in the proceedings.
After a short recital, usually by a student or students holding instrumental performance awards, each honorand is led forward in turn to stand in front of the Chancellor. Honorary degrees cannot be conferred in absence, so if the approved recipient is absent, no degree is conferred. 探花直播 探花直播鈥檚 Orator makes a speech in Latin聽marking the achievements of the honorand.聽At the end of each speech the recipient goes forward to the Chancellor. 探花直播Chancellor stands, takes them by the right hand, and confers the degree using the prescribed formula. There is then an opportunity for applause, but no other speeches are made. 探花直播new graduate then sits to the Chancellor鈥檚 right.
After honorary graduands are admitted
After all the honorary graduands have been admitted, there is a short recital by a choir, usually drawn from one or more of the Colleges, and finally the National Anthem is sung. 探花直播Bedells then lead the Chancellor and his procession, including the new honorary graduates, back into the Yard. 探花直播Chancellor retires to change from the State Robe of black damask and gold lace with a train and a gold-tasselled square cap to a scarlet doctoral gown with velvet bonnet.
Afterwards they return to the Yard to host a garden party on the lawn for all those present. During the garden party the Chancellor makes a brief speech and proposes a toast to the new graduates. One of the graduates then replies with another short speech and a toast to the 探花直播.