No bonnets, du-rags or bedroom shoes: Tuskegee University updates student rules for fall

Tuskegee University is implementing a new dress code for students this August, according to a letter from President Mark Brown.

Under the new policy, students must arrive on campus with a business suit and proper shoes appropriate for a business meeting.

“The goal here is not meant to restrict you from enjoying the Tuskegee Experience, but to prepare you with a solid foundation for the workforce you will enter once you leave Tuskegee,” Brown’s letter said. “Employers are less forgiving and too often presentation may overrule stellar preparation.”

What students cannot wear

Satin bonnets, du-rags, a pair of fuzzy bedroom slippers, and pajamas. These are among the things Tuskegee University doesn’t want to see in its lecture halls, library, dining hall, and other campus spaces come fall.

Students are also banned from wearing bedroom shoes, bonnets or du-rags to class or the cafeteria.

Students will also no longer be allowed to use their cell phones while inside a classroom.

The full dress code, cell phone, and attendance policies can be found here.

Tuskegee University's Updated Dress Code
Category	Details
The Policy	Tuskegee University has implemented an updated dress code and behavioral standards policy for the 2026-2027 academic year, prohibiting sleepwear (including pajama pants), bonnets, durags, and bedroom slippers in classrooms, dining facilities, and official university spaces.
Additional Rules	The policy also targets classroom decorum, requiring students to put cell phones away during lectures unless given permission by the instructor, alongside stricter attendance guidelines. Students attending professional events must wear business suits.
The Rationale	President Dr. Mark A. Brown stated the goal is not to restrict the student experience, but to instill professional habits and build a "solid foundation for the workforce they will enter once they leave Tuskegee."
The Reaction	The announcement sparked a fierce online debate. Many alumni support the move as necessary for teaching etiquette and workplace readiness, while critics have accused the administration of "cultural policing" and engaging in "respectability politics."