Business Casual Dress Code Guidelines for APSU Staff

Effective January 1, 2003, APSU will observe a year-round business casual dress with the stipulation that business attire will be expected when the occasion requires it. Employees are expected to use good judgment and wear clothing that is appropriate for a professional setting. When meeting with visitors from outside the University, or when the University is hosting special groups or guests, employees are expected to dress appropriately for the occasion. In addition, although Physical Plant employees are required to wear a uniform, they will be able to wear casual dress clothes on designated days.

While employees are expected to use good judgment and common sense when selecting clothing appropriate for the business casual dress code, the following are general guidelines of items that are acceptable.

1. Clothing/footwear considered acceptable includes, but is not limited to:
   • Khaki pants or any other type of pants generally viewed as business casual
   • Golf or polo shirts
   • Denim dresses or jumpers
   • Denim shirts and APSU logo sweatshirts
   • Dresses/skirts/shorts (shorts on Fridays only) no shorter than 3 inches above the knee

   Clothing/footwear considered inappropriate and unacceptable include:

   • Items that are worn, ripped, frayed, torn or unkempt
   • Items containing obscene, profane, discriminatory, provocative or inflammatory words or pictures
   • Items advertising alcoholic beverages, drugs, drug paraphernalia or tobacco products
   • Sweatshirts/sweatpants/leggings
   • See-through garments, halter tops, bare midriff/back tops, tank tops/muscle shirts, low-cut blouses and pants
   • Pool/beach attire including beach sandals and thongs/flip flops
   • Blue jeans or other denim pants (unless the supervisor approves as an exception based on the nature of the job)
   • Collarless T-shirts
   • Worn out sneakers

   Employees should err on the side of caution; if an item is questionable, another item of clothing should be selected. Public Safety is exempt from this policy. Other departments where a uniform is required, such as the Physical Plant, are exempt from this policy but may choose to participate if appropriate based on job duties and as long as a name tag is worn. If a conflict arises between a supervisor and employee regarding relaxed dress attire that cannot be resolved within the department or with that divisional vice president, the director of human resources should be consulted for resolution of the conflict.

2. The University will provide one short-sleeve polo-style APSU logo shirt for all staff (and for faculty who request them) to be worn on Fridays and on other specially designated days. Employees may purchase additional shirts and other logo clothing items at the university’s bookstore at a discounted rate.

3. Jeans may be worn:
   • On Friday during the school year (August - May).
   • On days when no classes are held (excluding commencement days).
   • During the summer months following the end of spring semester until the beginning of the fall semester.