Unspoken Standards: The Problem with YU’s Dress Code Reminder
It’s been a really tough, cold winter. We’ve been hit repeatedly with snowstorms, frigid conditions and unpredictable weather.
I know that I’ve been waiting for the return of nice weather, and this week, I finally got to bask in the sun and bring out some of my summer wardrobe. I’ve noticed lots of my classmates doing the same.
As students at Yeshiva University, we understand that we attend a modern Orthodox institution with Torah Umadda values. It is something that almost any student will tell you, written on the walls of our school and repeated by our professors in the classroom. Coming to college means we are embarking on the next stages of our lives, one beyond the strict high school rules that may have held us back from expressing ourselves. In this stage of life, we are in charge of what we choose, what we wear and what we wish to study. Most importantly, by coming here, the students at YU chose to make Torah Umadda the core of their college experience.
Torah Umadda, to me, always applied to our academic and intellectual lives, not necessarily to how we dress ourselves. I made this conclusion because of how loosely the university advertises the dress code. There are no announcements made at davening, nor are we kept alert by a dress-coding teacher assigned to reprimand students for the length of their skirts. Again, it’s college. We wear what we want and that is our choice.
As the weather changes, so does the way students dress. Some women switch from their normal floor-length skirts to midi skirts, while others select mini skirts or shorts. This week, I thought it was nice to welcome this change of seasons with everyone dressing for their comfort, especially as we accepted that the buildings have not yet switched over to air conditioning.
When I saw the email from the deans with the subject line “Reminder about dress in shared spaces,” I was confused about the word “reminder.” I cannot remember a time when a professor has ever mentioned to us that we must comply with the dress code or that what someone is wearing is inappropriate. This is routine at most modern Orthodox high schools and camps, but there, the dress codes are heavily acknowledged and enforced.
I also think it is important to address the diversity among the collective student body at YU. Some students come from more observant homes, while others have embarked on their religious journeys here at our university. I’ve always believed in the value of surrounding myself with people of different Jewish backgrounds, and being at YU has taught me that there is not one way to be religious and Orthodox. YU has a substantial number of international students, meshed into the world of “In Towners” and “Out of Towners,” all educating each other on their customs. This diversity is celebrated here. I’ve loved learning about the Syrian community and how the South American Jews grew up, especially after attending a seminary that was mostly Ashkenazim. For this reason, a range of Judaic classes is offered for people of all backgrounds, both those with higher education and those who have never encountered these subjects.
That is why the email confused me. The language “Orthodox Jewish tradition understands dress as an outward manifestation of respectfulness and modesty, reflected in the attire of both men and women,” becomes complicated in an institution that welcomes an array of observance levels and traditions.
To make the request that “women wear dresses or skirts below the knee and shirts with sleeves and modest necklines,” when I have never seen it being stated or publicized on a mass scale, is to publicize an announcement that carries the power to shame others. I understand that there is a required level of respectful behavior that accompanies attending university, but there is also an intrinsic level of individuality and autonomy. When one chooses to attend YU, there is an element of security in knowing they are safe from outside hatred or discrimination. Yet to be criticized from within the institution regarding a dress code that is virtually never enforced may make students hesitate or potentially regret their choice to come here.
I think the final sentence of the email is strong, but misses the mark just slightly: “Dressing with care is one way we show respect for our institution and honor the Torah environment we are building together.” On some level, I agree. When everyone is in attire that is both comfortable and respectful to others, it enhances the environment in which they participate. Yet there is also an element of understanding that needs to be extended to the broader community.
If YU would like its students to dress in accordance with the dress code listed in the email, this dress code should be made very clear. A mention of this policy in the student handbook is not enough to say it is universally known. If the dress code is supposed to matter, then it cannot be a reminder, but a rule.
Retroactively announcing that students should wear what is known to be upheld will not change anything. The only thing it does is single out those who may fall outside of the lines, making us question which lines YU wishes to draw.
This idea presents exactly why it should not become a rule enforced, as it risks creating more separation among students than celebrating the Torah environment we are meant to build together.
Photo Caption: The lobby of the Sy Syms building, an area designated for announcements and newspaper postings.
Photo Credit: Kayla Kramer
