PISCATAWAY -- Rutgers University has issued a formal apology after banning students from a job fair for wearing blue suits, colored shirts, brown shoes or other attire that violated a strict new dress code for the event.
The controversy started Feb. 10 when several students who arrived at a career fair for the Rutgers Business School were turned away, according to The Daily Targum, the university's student newspaper. Students were told they could return if they changed clothes, but some owned only one suit or lived too far away to drive home and make it back in time, the Targum's report said.
Rutgers told NJ Advance Media it could not confirm how many students were turned away.
Sophomore Kevin Chen told the Targum he was turned away after wearing a navy suit he had worn to previous interviews. Students were required to wear black or dark gray suits, according to the dress code.
"I am not angry about being turned away ... but to be turned away due to my fashion sense is absurd," Chen told the paper. "I didn't go to show off my style, I went to show my skills."
Some students questioned why dark blue suits were not allowed and one administrator said the issue was really over what shade of blue was appropriate.
"While a very nice theoretical discussion, I used to teach science and specifically designating a particular color with chromaticity coordinates using a spectropolarimeter is not possible at a Business School Career Fair," Martin Markowitz, the Business School's senior associate dean, told the Targum. "To avoid any confusion, we do not permit blue suits."
Students banned from the event launched an online petition asking for an apology from the university and changes to the dress code.
"We take great pride in our students, both academically and professionally," Business School Dean Lei Lei said in a written apology. "We regret that the actions at last week's career fair adversely affected some of our students and cast a shadow over the success we have achieved in helping our students secure more meaningful internships and jobs,"
Rutgers will help students contact recruiters they were banned from meeting and work one revising the dress code, Lei said.
"Our career management process is not perfect, and we look forward to working with our recruiters and students to further improve our practices, including the dress code guidelines," she said.
The university implemented the dress code after feedback from employers, according to the report. In previous years, Rutgers students failed to present themselves well at the event, the university told the student newspaper.
A flier with the dress code provided specific detail on what student should and should not wear.
Men
- Dark gray or black professional business suit; pants and jacket must match
- White dress shirt
- Conservative, professional tie with a solid or simple pattern. No bright colors or graphics
- Dark socks that match shoes or pants; no patterned or white socks
- Clean, polished dark dress shoes; no sneakers or boots
- No facial jewelry; minimal accessories (dark belt, watch, ring)
- Hair well groomed
- Clean shaven or well-groomed facial hair
- Clean, trimmed nails
- Minimal fragrance, if any
Women
- Dark gray or black professional business suit; long leeved jacket with lapels and matching knee length skirt OR full length dress pants
- Solid light colored blouse or shirt; avoid plunging necklines
- Clean, polished close toed dark pumps (low heel), no stilettos or ballet flats
- Neutral colored plain hosiery if wearing a skirt suit; pattern
- Minimal jewelry; watch, ring, small earrings
- Minimal makeup, if any
- Hair well groomed
- Nude or light colored nail polish, if any. Clean, trimmed nails
- Minimal fragrance, if any
- Small purse, if any
Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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