Tuskegee University imposes business-suit dress code and bans certain headwear

Tuskegee University unveiled a revised dress code that obliges students to appear in business suits and appropriate footwear when they come to campus, and bans revealing garments as well as du-rags, bonnets and similar headwear in classes and dining areas. President Mark Brown framed the measure as a way to give students a solid foundation for the workforce after graduation. The policy also reinstates a ban on cellphone use in classrooms and reaffirms mandatory attendance.

Faculty members will have the authority to respond to non-compliant attire, though the university did not specify exact sanctions. Critics on social media argue the rule targets Black cultural expression and enforces respectability politics. Alumni note that similar expectations have existed informally, describing the change as a clarification rather than a new restriction. The update arrives as Tuskegee prepares for its largest freshman intake in over three decades.