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St. Stephen’s ‘shorts’ story: Ban is not new, says college principal Susan Elias
St Stephen’s decision to bar students from wearing shorts on campus has sparked a debate as some freshers showed their dissent on day one of Delhi University by turning up in shorts. Principal Susan Elias explains the dress code demanded is not new.
The recent notice by Delhi University’s St. Stephen’s College, addressing junior students, barring them from wearing shorts on campus has ignited a debate. So much so that after this notice was put up on July 26, when the fresh batch of students turned up on campus on Tuesday for their day one of DU, there were some students who allegedly turned up in a show of dissent, wearing shorts to oppose the ban.
“We received a notice from the college that stated how it was against the college’s dress code rules to wear shorts on campus. This is surprising because I don’t think wearing shorts in summers can be against any dress code,” says a first-year student on condition of anonymity. Another one adds, “For me and my friends who have just came out of schools where we had a uniform, it feels we are going backwards. Once you are an adult and are in college, you do not expect that your expression in any form, even your dressing, will be curtailed. It just takes away from the whole experience of finally being out in the world and venture into the life of being a college student.”
The students looked visibly unhappy, and claimed that the dress code restrictions applied to senior members as well. But,the college principal Susan Elias, told us: “This rule has been there for 145 years. (When it comes to the existing rules and regulations) I want to start, stop, continue, and consider. Any change is going to be a joint decision by the students, faculty, alumni, and everybody involved. Because this institution has been here for 145 years only because certain things were there. So, I don’t want to remove it (a rule) because I’ve not been in this system, and I want everybody to come together and decide what to start, what to stop, what to continue, and what to consider. It’s a closed-door discussion between us on what we want to keep. We have to change, and it will happen. But, it’s too early.”
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