This piece was co-authored with Ahd Kendoussi.
Do you need your morning coffee? Just a quick trip to throw your garbage? Or maybe even a small stop by the printer? Have it approved by the mirror before you step a foot outside your room. Beware, because Big Brother is watching you but this time it may be for the better.
The slogan “Liberty, Freedom, and Acceptance” has always been the cornerstone of our institution’s values and aspirations. In fact, it is one of the pillars that perpetuate the AUI legacy. Living in a free, tolerant, and non-judgemental campus constituted the pride of current AUIers and alumnae. Therefore, the news related to the social media platform came as a shock to most students.
After skimming through the details of the incident, one question came to mind: Does the decision taken by the administration to comment on student’s clothing portray the beginning of a shift in the institution’s long-standing values? Is it the beginning of more restrictive and limiting policies?
Clothing style may seem an insignificant matter to discuss, but the ideology behind this prohibition is of a greater disavowing impact that may create an identity crisis in AUI’s institution. These restrictions divide the student body and are reflective of their disappointments. It only takes one glance at the Student Community group post to sense the growing dissatisfaction and rising tension expressed through the comments.
It is said that such policies and decisions are made in a desperate attempt to prevent sexual harassment- an issue that bothered the whole community last semester. This is problematic as it results in the normalization of targetting women as the main source of trouble. It comes timely with the university recently adopting a zero-tolerance attitude with regards to sexual harassment and issues of its sort, and the said decisions may have the opposite effect on the reigning climate at the university. Besides, the statements in the Dress code also hold a gender classification as the descriptions target women’s clothing only. Words such as “miniskirts” and “shirts that show cleavage” imply that girls’ bodies are the only source of attraction and therefore should be policed.
According to AUI’s international student handbook (2020-2021), the university is promoting the image of a European North American Campus experience where liberal and conservative clothing styles both are embraced. While the university is not explicitly showing its preference for specific types of clothing over others, its small oral scolds may be understood as leading factors to restricting students’ freedom and/or hypocrisy of the policies.
Although we are aware of the formal attitude and style that should be maintained in the academic area, we disagree with the generalization of these restrictions in other campuses’ whereabouts. The university’s campus is not composed of academic buildings only, but it also hosts in its residential realms dorms for students to relax and hangout free from formalities. Therefore, such laws are diminishing the safe haven that AUI is trying to maintain. A more tentative approach to please both parties, students and the administration, would be to explicitly decide on the appropriate clothes to wear in certain areas of the university. In other words, the academic area of AUI would urge students to wear formal clothing while the residential sector would be free for students to express their personal clothing style.
We are students vouching for a fulfilling University experience that encompasses personal and professional development far away from feuds that require no attention from both students and the institution.
Sincerely yours,
Ahd &Meryem
