Have you considered having employers provide the photographs or video, with comments about what is satisfactory/unsatisfactory and why? Could be more powerful than the same message coming through the same channels.
Hi,
I agree that in a career college environment, partuicularly in a location where soft skills are not taught, the use of a uniform is valuable. Propper dress adds to the campus climate, promotes acadmeic identity, and encourages professioanl behavior. Our school expects all students to wear uniforms and/or dress as a professional.
We have a clear policy on dress code, however, I like the idea of taking photographs or even a video of dress styles that ara considered to be acceptable or unacceptable.
Students are aware of what they have to bring to school and to be in complete uniform but if they forget something, they are resourceful and will usually find that missing article of clothing. Students will borrow that missing article from another student who is just finishing their shift. This is a rare occasion here in Pasadena, but only because we have been enforcing it since day one.
The students who are made aware that they are out of uniform understand and either plead to ask a quick question or walk back to their car and change. No real complaints. I also don't see it as punishment. It's just a rule.
Does this mean that if a student left part of their uniform at home they will be unable to receive services that day? How often does this occur?
Do the students consider this stern punishment?
We normally see about 15-20% of the students being out of uniform. Sometimes the students just got off of work or left their shoes in the car but we enforce it in the Registrar's office and school cafe. They have to be completely in or completely out of, uniform. If they are halfway in or out, we refuse them service until show up in proper attire.
How often do you have a problem during the inspection? Does everyone follow this same procedure and use the same standards?
We check daily for dress code compliance. At the start of class students stand for a "are you ready" inspection.
Dress code is important because it gives them the advantage over people who do not know what the industry is looking for.
I agree, when they put on the uniform it should change the way they feel about themselves and how they should act as a professional and sometimes we need to remind them of that and how others see them.
Interesting observations. I wonder if instructors in other disciplines that also have "uniforms" observe similar behavior.
i am in total agreement with this idea. We adress the dress code in orientation and is usually mentioned at least briefly in every module to come. Teaching at the end of our program gives me interesting insight into the students loss of pride or excitment in their chef coats. Some of this has to due with enui with school it's self as they are almost done. some with the practical aspect that presoaking, wasing then ironing the coats if really just alot of work...if i start a term on a stong note and enforce the code firmly it seems that some of that initial excitment about the coat and their education is recaptured.
Mel, you're right about consistency of enforcement from all levels of staff, faculty, and administration being critical.
Your policy about not helping them if they are out of uniform at first blush sounds harsh, but if they know the rules and consequences it makes sense. How long does it take the students who break this policy to figure it out?
Haley,
We also do not have any lockers but strictly enforce the dress code policy of the "students being completely in OR completely out of uniform." If they come in with a hat(non-religious) or sneakers with their uniform, we refuse to help them in our academic office or school cafe. The students are made aware on day 1, about the uniform policy. Constant enforcement from all levels of staff, faculty and administration are necessary for this to work.
Good luck!
-Mel
I could not agree more dress codes need to be clearly outlined during the first orientation. Presented in a positive way. This is what the industry is expecting. We promote it in a way that will have you standing above the rest when you are looking for employment in the industry.
We've really been struggling with our uniform policy recently. We modified it at the end of last year to encourage students to be in full uniform, but allowing them to come to school in partial uniform and add their jackets before class.
It seems that this compromise has further led to students disregarding the policy. Does anyone have ideas on what can be done to let students know that we heard their complaints about the difficulty of having a uniform policy with no student lockers available overnight and what we can do to ensure that the policy is followed?
Thanks!
Haley
Our school also has a student uniform policy. Consistent enforcement is an issue. Students quickly learn which instructors will let standards slide, which creates problems for the next instructor. There are many life lessons taught with the uniform policy, we need to explain what those life lessons are and why we have the policy for some students to understand the big picture.
We do a uniform presentation and explanation at new student orientations.
We do not have pictures of the uniform worn correctly posted but that is something I will do and have around campus in a short time. Thank you!
Andrea, do you teach in a program with a specific uniform? It is much easier to enforce a dress code when the expectations are clearly spelled out. Life gets more complicated when people are asked to judge students' appearance based on decorum, community standards, professional appearance, etc.
Is consistent enforcement an issue? If so, how is it addressed by department heads and administration?
I believe that re-inforcement is the key. We address it in orientation, the first day of class and continually throughout the program. Students will constantly test the waters and see what they can get away with. It is very important for each instructor to be consistant in enforcing the dress code.
How do you convey the importance of the uniform to students who haven't been in the industry? Do you run into students who feel that what they are wearing has nothing to do with how they perform?
How does the process of developing self discipline occur? Is there a corollary for other curricula?
