Rachel Sacher
Staff Writer
Campus Recreation’s new dress code policy in the Firestone Fieldhouse Weight Center and Drescher Fitness Center has been temporarily retracted. The change in policy was scheduled to be effective Monday, Jan. 15, but Mark Davis, dean of Student Affairs put the policy on hold Friday, Jan. 12 while the administration reviews the its appropriateness and Campus Recreation collects more information.
Davis said he learned of the attire policy toward the end of the fall but that no one from Campus Recreation had contacted him before it had been implemented.
However, Tabatha Jones, associate dean of Student Affairs, said “Campus Recreation was within their domain” in making the policy.
Campus Recreation posted flyers around campus after winter break announcing the new, stricter dress code.
While the policy may seem extreme to some students, Campus Recreation disagrees.
“All we’re asking for people really is to put a t-shirt on,” director of campus recreation Catherine Cramp said.
The new policy states that students are to wear “unaltered, full t-shirts with sleeves, appropriate length shorts and athletic, closed-toe shoes.” Students are not permitted to wear tank tops or spaghetti strap shirts, sport bras, swimsuits or shirts showing the mid-riff or armpits.” In addition, gym patrons must refrain from wearing exercise attire that includes, “zippers, rivets, buckles, metal snaps or buttons.”
This is a drastic change from the previous dress code that simply banned flip-flops, sport bras and jeans.
The changes mean no more tank tops or spandex booty shorts, which are frequently worn for workouts. For many, the new policy means an entire wardrobe change.
According to the Campus Recreation web site, the new policy of exercise attire was made to “protect our community from disease transmission, create a welcoming environment and preserve our equipment.”
Diseases that can be transmitted through gym equipment include the staph infection, ringworm and other harmful conditions.
“The general reason for the policy is the spread of disease through sweat,” said Arleen Ponce, student manager of public relations and marketing and outreach.
Some of the infections and diseases that may spread via the pads on the equipment include staph infections and ringworm.
A staph infection is an infection of the skin, and is the most common skin infection in the United States. Staph looks similar to pimples or boils and can cause the skin to appear red or swollen. More information on the staph infection can be found on the campus rec website at http://www.pepperdine.edu/campusrecreation/facilities/attire.htm
Cramp offered no evidence of a staph outbreak near Pepperdine or Malibu. The closest recorded instance of staph infection was cited in Los Angeles in the Skid Row area.
“We’re trying to be preventative,” Cramp said. “We want to put a layer between you and the pads.”
But student reaction to the new policy is mixed.
“No jeans and sandals should be a no brainer,” senior and swim team member Jillian Kissee said.
Sophomore and student athlete Jordan Watson agrees.
“I plan on going to the gym this semester and when I go, I’ll respect the rules,” he said.
Other students object to the implementation of a dress code.
“As long as it’s wholesome, people should be allowed to wear whatever they want,” senior Joshua Dildine said.
01-18-2007
