By By: Kate Luce
Editor-in-Chief
Dress codes can be vital for safety. Most lab classes require students to wear closed-toe shoes and safety equipment; welding sections in sculpture class require students to wear long sleeves, pants, closed-toe shoes, gloves and a helmet. A policy at the Student Activities Center states that students, staff and faculty cannot show midriffs while working out.
This means students, staff and faculty cannot wear just a sports bra or crop top while working out.
According to Steve Bruce, Executive Director of Athletics and Activities, this policy has been the norm since the SAC since it opened almost 20 years ago. The policy has been put in place due to what was considered “appropriate workout material.”
“We have continued to follow it and haven’t given thought to making changes, as we have not had complaints over the years,” Bruce said.
There are other dress code policies for the SAC. Masks are required unless a patron is working out in the SAC. Blue jeans, khakis or street clothes are not allowed when working out. The SAC also does not allow open-toe shoes or sandals while working out, for safety reasons.
Signs on this policy have been posted throughout the facility as a reminder. Student workers also can remind a patron of the policy.
“Though I am confident that our patrons would work with us on following our dress code, if someone continued to be non-compliant, either myself or Doug Buysse, who oversees SAC student workers, would meet with the patron. We would do everything we can to avoid having to ban the patron from using the SAC,” Bruce said.
However, according to Bruce, this policy has not been an issue for several years. SAC attendees have been compliant with the midriff policy.
When the Student Recreation Sports Center was reached out regarding their policy on midriff, a student worker said that they did not believe it was still a policy at Bloomington. According to SRSC’s website, athletic shoes must be worn, shirts must be worn at all times and jeans are not permitted – pretty standard for most gyms.
