Rule 3362-4-97 | Professional appearance.
(A) Rule statement
Shawnee state university departments may determine appropriate workplace attire for their areas consistent with this rule. Supervisors are responsible for communicating department-specific attire expectations to employees during the hiring process, orientation, and performance evaluation periods. Questions regarding workplace attire should be discussed with the immediate supervisor.
Workplace attire, whether on campus, during remote work, or when representing the university in the community, must be clean, neat, and appropriate for the work being performed and the setting in which the work occurs. Professional attire may vary based on job duties, work environment, and safety requirements.
Employees whose primary duties include student-facing or front-office responsibilities are expected to maintain a level of professional appearance that supports student trust, approachability, and the university's educational mission.
(B) General guidelines
Employees are expected to present a professional appearance while engaged in work-related activities. Clothing and footwear must be clean, neat, and in good condition. Attire must not include profane, indecent, discriminatory, or otherwise unprofessional language or imagery. Accessories and personal expression are permitted, with reasonable consideration for workplace health and safety.
Employees are expected to present a professional image that supports the university's institutional identity. While performing official duties, employees may not wear apparel displaying the name, logo, or branding of other colleges or universities. This expectation is intended to promote clarity for visitors, prospective students, donors, and community partners regarding institutional affiliation. No college or university-branded apparel that displays any school other than Shawnee state is permitted.
(C) Business casual standard
(1) Employees are expected to dress in business casual attire at a minimum, unless their role or work environment requires a different standard. Athleisure wear (i.e., sweat attire, leggings, shorts, etc.) while performing official duties is prohibited. Business casual attire may include slacks, khakis, dress capris, professional skirts or dresses, blouses, button-down shirts, sweaters, polo or crewneck shirts, closed-toe shoes, dress sandals, and university-branded apparel. Jeans are acceptable as part of business casual attire, provided they are:
(a) Dark wash or black;
(b) Without rips, distressing, fading, or fraying;
(c) Well-fitted (not baggy or overly tight); or
(d) Paired with professional items (i.e., blazer, structured cardigan, button-down, blouse, or polished sweater).
(2) Employees may be required to dress in business professional attire when appropriate for meetings or external engagement.
(D) Bear wear Wednesdays
To promote school spirit and community engagement, Shawnee state university recognizes bear wear Wednesdays as a university spirit day. On bear wear Wednesdays, employees may wear Shawnee state university-branded apparel. Jeans are authorized for all employees on this day, provided they are clean, neat, and free from excessive wear or distress. Participation is voluntary and subject to operational requirements.
(E) Reasonable accommodations
The university will provide reasonable accommodations as required by applicable law, including accommodations related to disability or religious beliefs. Requests should be directed to human resources.
(F) Rule applicability
This rule applies to all Shawnee state university employees except faculty and employees with uniform requirements.
Last updated May 1, 2026 at 8:08 AM
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