A College Punishes Business Majors Who Dress Sloppy
By
Robin Moroney
originally posted
September 13, 2007
at WSJ.com
In hopes of better preparing its business students for office life, Illinois State University is penalizing marketing majors who don't obey a dress code, reports Sarah Kliff on Newsweek's Web site. Female students are expected to wear khakis, slacks or dresses and skirts of a modest length. For men, khakis, polos, golf shirts and sports jackets are the standard. Faculty members can withhold credit for any work due that day if a student shows up to class in, say, sweats or pajama pants.
Tim Longfellow, head of ISU's marketing department, says he has received complaints that students don't know how to dress when they do internships in the corporate world. He says the newly gussied up students are more awake and contributing better in class. Others aren't so sure it sends the right message, saying real businesses reward good behavior more than they punish bad behavior. “This is too parental. You have to treat [students] like adults,” says Susan Bixler, a business writer.
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