Dress for Success: what’s the point?
Abigail Dickerson, Staff Writer
It is not an uncommon occurrence for a student to ask “why do we have a dress code at this school when other universities do not?” This can be a confusing topic for many students to consider.
As an example, a private Christian school such as Bob Jones University will have a stricter dress code, while a public school such as Clemson have no dress code. As for NGU, we have a dress code that falls somewhere between the two.
While North Greenville students may not see the need for a dress code, it has been created to promote their academic experience here and reduce distraction while still allowing for fashionable creativity. Three points that often differ between schools’ dress codes are policies on immodest clothing, piercings, and classroom attire.
Immodest clothing can be a hard topic to discuss, because not everyone holds the same standard of modesty, especially between universities. Other local schools such as Bob Jones University hold a much more rigorous dress code than NGU.
According to Bob Jones’ dress code policy, modest clothing includes pants without holes and shorts that approach the knee, while North Greenville University’s policy is more relaxed. Clemson, on the other hand, just requires that you wear clothes.
As for policies on piercings, Bob Jones does not permit any piercing other than ear and nose. NGU allows piercings for all students, but clubs and teams may require they be removed under certain circumstances.
While playing sports, having piercings in can cause a risk for injury, which is why they are often required to be removed. As for Clemson, they do not have any policies regarding the “holiness” of their students.
On the topic of classroom-appropriate clothing, NGU does not permit clothing displaying violence or obscene material. According to the Bob Jones Handbook, students should dress business casual, which means a nice shirt, pants or a skirt. Again, the only requirement for Clemson is that you come to class clothed.
The NGU dress code states, “The university dress code is intended to promote an atmosphere of excellence that emphasizes academics and Christ-centered behavior. Cultivating transformational leaders includes teaching appropriate dress for a variety of occasions. Students are expected to present themselves in a well-groomed, educated, and mature manner when appearing in public. Student’s attire should be modest, appropriate to the occasion, and consistent with their legal gender as recognized by their state-issued birth certificate.” The faculty have created our dress code to help us succeed and to honor the Lord.
“Our dress code policy intends to honor God with the way we dress, as well as preparing students to be transformational when they graduate. Adhering to a dress code now will help with professionalism in the future,” Director of Student Conduct Atari Jarrett said.
As a student body, NGU’s goal is to set a Christ-like example for those in the community and to appear professional. As Atari said, having a dress code at North Greenville University is allowing students to be better prepared for a professional work environment after they graduate.
*Featured Image: Man fixing tie courtesy of Pixibay.com
