Research


Administrative History

The first University Convocation was convened by the Regents in 1863. These meetings provided a forum for discussion of issues and trends within the State's educational establishment, and served as a celebration of accomplishments within the state education system. Convocations were initially held annually, then switched to a biennial schedule. The last documented convocation was held in 1984 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Board of Regents. Convocations typically included of sessions and discussions on specific education topics, often featuring speeches by authorities on the subjects. Then, a formal ceremony was held, featuring the recognition of new school superintendents, principals, and college and university presidents; as well as the awarding of honorary Regents' degrees to dignitaries, educators, and scholars. Honorary degree recipients include Winston Churchill, historian John Hope Franklin, composer Howard Hanson, former Presidents Herbert Hoover and Harry S. Truman, Nobel Prize winner Rosalyn Sussman Yalow, and former governors Averell Harriman, Nelson Rockefeller, and Malcolm Wilson.