A TRADITION experienced by thousands of students at one of Scotland's top universities has been scrapped ahead of this year's graduation season.
For more than 150 years, graduates at the University of Edinburgh have been doffed – the raising of a hat as a gesture of respect – with a cap the institution claims is made from the breeches of John Knox, who led the Protestant Reformation in Scotland.
A spokesperson for the university told The Scotsman that the decision was made to "ensure the proceedings take place as smoothly as possible".
They explained that students will now be “presented to the hall by Heads of School, with a senior University leader presiding over the ceremony”.
Commenting on the changes, LibDem MP Wendy Chamberlain, who graduated from the institution in 1998, said she was "sorry to see it go".
She told The Scotsman: “Historical figures can be both controversial and people of significance.
“I remember my own graduation and being told we were being doffed by John Knox's trousers.
“In my view doffing is a particular tradition marking the transition from graduand to graduate and I'd be sorry to see it go from Edinburgh.”
The hat, known as the Geneva Bonnet, had to be restored in 2000 after suffering damage from more than a century and a half of wear and tear, having been used to mark the graduation of more than 100,000 students.
The shakeup came ahead of the summer graduation season at the ancient university, which started on Wednesday, July 1.
Students from the school of history, classics and archaeology staged a walkout on the first day in protest against the university's investment into funds linked to Israel and the IDF as well as the ongoing dispute with the University and College Union over planning job cuts and workload.
This was followed by students in the school of social and political sciences on Thursday, with further protests planned throughout the season.
A spokesperson for the university said: “With graduation season underway, ceremonies in our historic McEwan Hall continue to be joyous occasions for our students, their families and supporters.
“These events mark years of effort and achievement, and our priority is to ensure they remain focussed on celebrating this significant milestone for our graduating students.
“Therefore, arrangements have been made to help ensure the proceedings take place as smoothly as possible.
"Graduands are presented to the hall by heads of school, with a senior university leader presiding over the ceremony.”
A spokesperson also told The National: "Graduations are hugely significant milestones for our students.
"While we respect the right to peaceful protest, we also have a responsibility to ensure ceremonies can run smoothly and safely so that all of our graduates can celebrate their achievements with their families and supporters.
“This week’s graduations have been briefly interrupted by protests. Each was resolved quickly and all ceremonies continued as planned.”
