On the Proposed UA&P Dress Code

The dress code in question.

As one of the most iconic suit-wearers in today’s UA&P community, I would like to provide a few reflections on the ongoing discourse concerning the proposed new UA&P dress code, which consists in the elimination of the “casual” option from the existing dress code, thus making business casual the lowest acceptable option.

Before anything else, however, I would like to clarify the nature of “business casual” vis-a-vis the University. Business casual, as per the 2024-2025 Student Handbook (p. 128), consists at its bare minimum of “business-appropriate short or long-sleeved tops/blouses” (for women) and “Short or long-sleeved collared shirts . . . or polo barong” (for men), which are to be worn with “skirts or dresses” (for women) or “full length slacks or trousers” (for either sex).

Students would also be asked to wear “closed/peep-toe shoes; pumps; dress heels” (for women) or “dress shoes, oxfords, loafers or closed walking shoes with socks” (for men). We must distinguish this from “business formal” which requires men to wear a suit and tie (or its cultural equivalent) and women to wear at least “formal long or three-quarter sleeved tops with or without collar” (ibid., p. 127).

Wherein lies the clarification: business casual can be interpreted quite flexibly. As much as I would want people to dress themselves as if we were back in the days of CRC-CAS, the demographics of the University have changed since then. Many students are scholars whereas others have to commute in order to go to class. (Those who loudly complained about PEER’s “heatwave” theme may find themselves eating their words.) Having to dress up in layers or buy a whole new set of clothes would present a serious inconvenience for students of this sort.

However, business casual does allow for polos (or any plain button-down shirt), blouses, khakis and/or slacks. The idea behind business causal is that one may appear presentable without necessarily having to look uniform. In fact this is basically what most university instructors and professors are asked to wear on a regular basis. With that being said, however, I would suggest that the university administration take the following steps in order to accommodate the concrete situations of students.

For starters, the administration could consider delaying the implementation (which I believe they are doing as of now) the formal implementation of the new dress code until the second semester, after issuing a formal announcement with regard to their intentions. This would allow students (especially those on a budget) the time to make proper preparations vis-a-vis their wardrobe.

Furthermore, we should try to be as lenient as reasonable with our definition of ‘business casual,’ given that the letter of the law is actually quite broadly worded. “No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master” (Mt 10,24): and likewise, the enforcer of the law is not greater than the law itself. Whatever is not forbidden is allowed. (Of course, it must fall within the parameters of the statute itself: Expressio unius est exclusio alterius.)

Moreover, the university could consider working with businesses in providing affordable, dress-code compliant clothes to students and freshmen; even those that are specifically made for the use of university members. There are some university student entrepreneurs out there who may be up for the task.

With this being said, I do believe that changes should be made to the University dress code. I believe that people tend to take things more seriously when they are taken seriously---and asking them to dress more seriously is a big part of that. There is a disturbing trend towards the “infantilization” of college students that I shall discuss further in my next article, which the proposed dress code rightly seeks to rectify.

Another aspect of the controversy, however, stems from the fact that some students feel that decisions of this sort were made without due stakeholder consultation. This sentiment may hold truth to it. I do not know to what extent stakeholder consultations were made regarding the proposed dress code, but what I do know is that there needs to be more open, effective, and participatory channels of communication between the school administration and the stakeholders who would be most affected by these changes.

I believe that a good number of the friction felt by students vis-a-vis the administration (or, in some cases, the USG) have to do with the lack of accessible participatory forums of communication. It would be better (especially given the ambitious plans of the incoming president) if students felt more “accounted for” and “involved” in the management of the University, as per the Mandate to the UA&P Student Body.

With that being said, the revision of the dress code is a necessary thing which I shall expound upon in the coming articles.

Daniel Tyler Chua is the founder and president of the Collegium Perulae Orientis. He is also a contributor to the Philippine Daily Inquirer and The Sentinel PH.