Faculty Dress Codes

Once upon a time when we were attempting to obtain “faculty” status within our institution, there was much discussion about what would change for us. The reality was not much, we already had representation on Faculty Senate, the ability to take sabbaticals, and we served on university committees as faculty members. I recall asking if we would be allowed to dress like faculty if we became “faculty.” Realistically, I would have found this more appealing than the list above. I was told that no, we would still be expected to dress professionally thereby distinguishing us from our faculty brethren. In Inside HigherEd today there was a tongue in cheek essay on faculty dress with the following criteria.

“Faculty members shall, when on college grounds or on college business, dress in a way that would not embarrass their mothers, unless their mothers are under age 50 and are therefore likely to be immune to embarrassment from scruffy dressing, in which case faculty members shall dress in a way that would not embarrass my mother.”