Alabama’s Tuskegee University has become one of the latest HBCUs to trend as the school’s president announces a new dress code banning bonnets, durags, and bedroom shoes outside of the dorms.
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Tuskegee’s President Dr. Mark A. Brown outlined the new changes in a message shared with the parents of the incoming students for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Brown told addressees that the private HBCU is entering a period of transformation and renewal. He also mentioned that the school is expecting its largest new-student enrollment in 32 years. Therefore, the university’s new dress code will require students to arrive on campus professionally prepared and behaving as such.
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Additionally, Brown mandated that students should wear business suit and appropriate dress shoes for business meetings and other professional events. Brown said students are not permitted to wear revealing clothing in classrooms, dining areas, or at official university occasions, like Convocation.
Additional inappropriate clothing includes bedroom shoes, bonnets, and durags (or do-rags). These items are not permitted in classrooms, the cafeteria, etc. Faculty members will be permitted to address students who do not follow the new university dress code.
Brown also introduced new cellphone and attendance policies. Students will no longer be allowed to use their cellphones in classrooms, unless permitted by professors. Devices must remain turned off to avoid instruction disruptions.
While speaking on attendance, Brown emphasized that students are required to attend class as attendance is the foundation of academic success. Furthermore, the university will move forward in better monitoring attendance.
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Tuskegee University President Announces New School Policies On Dress Code, Attendance, And Cellphone Use
Brown’s full statement read:
“Dear Tuskegee University Students, We are excited to welcome you to Tuskegee University next month as you are arriving at an extraordinary time in the university’s history. Tuskegee has entered its Renaissance Era of transformation and renewal, and we are expecting a 32-year new student enrollment high in August.
Tuskegee is focused on challenging you academically with resources to ensure graduation while preparing you for the workplace. You are required to find internships in their area of interest, identify certifications to enhance professional skills, and develop a resume. There are more than 30 certifications you can get at Tuskegee at no additional cost. You must also visit the university Career Center in Kenney Hall. It is there where you will be able to connect with potential employers, internships, and learn more about career opportunities long before your senior year. You cannot wait until you are a senior to focus on your career options.
The university has developed a new policy for student attire on campus, classroom attendance, and cell phone use in classrooms. Tuskegee students now have a dress code for public and professional places. The Student Handbook requires students to arrive on campus with a business suit and proper shoes for a business meeting. Students are prohibited from wearing revealing clothing in class, to the cafeteria or in official settings like Convocation. They are also not able to wear bedroom shoes, bonnets, or du-rags to class or the cafeteria.
Faculty will be empowered to respond to students who are inappropriately dressed based on these guidelines. Faculty will also be able to respond to a different classroom challenge – cell phones. Unless directed by the professor, students are no longer allowed to use their cell phones while in class. They should be turned off to eliminate any distraction from the instructor’s lesson. We are attaching the attendance policy to minimize any confusion around attendance. Students are required to go to class. That is the heart of all academic success, and we track attendance.
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. Employers are less forgiving and too often presentation may overrule stellar preparation. Tuskegee University continues to prepare the best and brightest for a lifetime of success. With these changes, we want to ensure every student is as prepared as they can be. I look forward to seeing you in August. Sincerely, Dr. Mark A. Brown, President and CEO.”
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