Dress code: Forced conformity?

By: Tarra

Figure 1: SEGi poster on dress code

KOTA DAMANSARA: A majority of SEGi University students are silently rebelling against the recently implemented and enforced dress code, claiming it to be a restriction. The administration of the university put up notices early 2013, stating that it will be enforced from the 1st of February, due to the change from University College to University status. This limitation includes shorts, slippers, torn jeans, plunging necklines, brightly dyed hair and hairstyles that are not of the norm.

When walking the corridors of the university, it is blatantly obvious from their outfits, that the students either pay no attention to the new guide lines or are deliberately going against them.

Figure 2: Bulletin on dress code implementation

 and guidelines

As members of SEGi management were unavailable for comment, Melvin Tan provided some insight into this new regulation. Melvin, President of the Student Representative Council (SRC) of that time, was present in the panel that tabled this policy and states that the idea came from SRC. “It was deemed necessary to implement the dress code as it was crucial for both the student and the image of the university. The main objective of introducing students to dress codes was to prepare them for their upcoming future careers where dress codes and appearance decency are considered important. As for image, SEGi is a higher educational institution which is a brand, something which a student represents and portrays when they are out of campus grounds.”

During a forum in 2012, the topic ‘The Necessity of Dress Code for SEGi Students’ came up. The chairperson, Mr. Wong Chee Kong, Head of the School of Information Technology of SEGi, said that “in a respectable university, there is indeed a need for a dress code for it to be able to maintain a decent and professional image and an atmosphere conducive for learning.”

Figure 3: Continuation of bulletin on dress code 

implementation and guidelines

As this implementation primarily affects the students, Hashtag interviewed some of them to get their views on this recent policy.

Vinothini, a major of Psychology, thinks that the dress code is of no consequence as students are still wearing slippers and shorts on campus.

Nikhil, 20, states that, “We’re here to learn, not to mix and match outfits in an effort to stand out”. He emphasizes that as the education is the priority, trivial subjects such as dress code should be of no concern.

Aleana, 19, supports the policy as she has heard complaints from many of her male friends saying that some of the girls in SEGi dress in a way that is very distracting.

However her friend Nur countered with, “But this (policy) is only a response to what they mentally perceive to be distracting. Shouldn’t this perception and changing it be the focus of the administration?”

Figure 4: Dress code Campaign and Feedback 

session (17 & 23 January 2013)

Joshua, 23, recently graduated and now working with one of the faculties, states that it infringes on the students individuality and freedom of expression.

“The SEGi dress code is unnecessary as students should have the freedom to choose whatever they wish to wear as long as it is not inappropriate”, says the previous vice president of House of Fayette (the UIU student council), Bryan Chin. He adds that students also function better when comfortable.

Tanuj, from the Mass Communications faculty, thinks that the way SEGi split the dress code rules based on sex shows they expects students to abide by Malaysian gender roles. “This sort of segregation has no place in 2014, especially if we are to educate the youths in being open and acceptive of individuality”, he emphasizes.

Figure 5: Feedback board of dress code campaign 

and feedback session (17 & 23 January 2013)

“We joined SEGi partially because they told us we could dress as we please, as long as it is not glaringly inappropriate. This may seem shallow, but many of us don’t take lightly to people telling us what to wear. Now, just because they’ve obtained University status, this has to change? I don’t think this is right.” said Preeti. She also believes that it sends out the wrong message about how students should view those who express themselves via clothing.

Many students voiced discontent and echoed that they find that the policy works more for the institution and it seems to view students as merely a tool for image projection and marketing. This is especially worrisome to them when combined with the recent hike in tuition fees.

Figure 6: One student’s feedback during dress code campaign

and feedback session (17 & 23 January 2013)

Some students have been stopped and harassed by the security guards for not obeying the dress code’s guide lines. One female student, who would like to remain anonymous, found the incident to be almost traumatizing, as four of them were loudly speaking about her ‘exposed’ legs. They refused to let her enter school premises and she was forced to return home, change and be late for class. She maintains that her skirt ended only three inches above her knees.

Although some agree that the implementation is good and necessary, a majority of SEGians view it as demanded conformity.  Many echo the same view in different words – “I thought varsity was where you were supposed to discover yourself, not be forced to be what or who someone else thought you should be”.