Campus Connection

Incoming PharmD students in the School of Pharmacy can expect more changes than just construction on the Pharmacy Hall addition this year. They can also look forward to a new dress code, an amendment that was made to the existing honor code by the Student Government Association council in the weeks prior to the start of classes.

Members of the SGA council voted on the new dress code during the Summer Leadership Retreat in mid-August. The original amendment was drafted and introduced by SGA Vice President Amy Houtchins. Houtchins said that while discussing the changes, she and members of the SGA council “not only looked at other schools’ dress codes but also employee manuals to get a sense of what is happening in the workplace.”

The new dress code includes several obvious rules: no revealing clothing like shirts that are low cut or expose the midriff, but it also includes some items that may generate disagreement. Baseball caps and pajama pants, despite 7:30 a.m. exam times, are now considered inappropriate attire.

The idea of adding a student dress code had been introduced and discussed by the SGA council in the past. Recent discussions of the dress code included suggestions that the students be required to wear “Fred Lab attire,” the business casual dress that is required when the student interact with patients. The SGA board later agreed on the less restrictive changes.

Returning PharmD student Erienne Burton said, “It is important that we as students recognize that it does matter how we present ourselves.” Burton believes that the dress code will also create a more professional learning environment by encouraging “students to acknowledge the professional setting.”

According to SGA president Yara Haddad, part of the goal of the new dress code is to “promote appropriate classroom attire.” Haddad also explained why the SGA decided it was appropriate to add the dress code to the existing honor code.

“The purpose or philosophy of the honor code is to promote honesty, integrity and professionalism… It contains issues ranging from civility to academic misconduct. We felt that such an addition would fall under the guidelines for professionalism, specifically under classroom etiquette.”

To illustrate the new dress code, veteran PharmD students held a fashion show during orientation week featuring clothing items students should not wear to class.

The dress code will comprise Section 2.2.1.1 of the honor code and can be obtained through the pharmacy website at www.pharmacy.umaryland.edu.

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