BJU Dress Code & “Demerit” Disciplinary System: complicated and capricious (Don’t you dare walk on the grass! Wearing Birkenstocks! While listening to music on headphones!)

Posted on May 1, 2012 by elizabeth

Something is rotten in the state of BJU. If this handbook is any indication, there is severe psychological, emotional and spiritual abuse taking place at this university. It’s unspeakably oppressive. My heart breaks for these young men and women being subjected to such harsh legalism–all in the name of Christ!

I can only hope that this latest incident with Chris Peterman will break open the culture of secrecy and oppression.

The rules are so complicated and so insanely specific that I had to read some of them like five times just to figure out what was “appropriate” and “not appropriate.” BJU’s rules are oddly worded (as if trying to hide the fact that it’s a huge list of Thou Shalt Nots?)–ie. wearing a jacket over a sleeveless IS appropriate. But what that rule really means is that wearing a sleeveless shirt by itself is forbidden.

This is fundamentalism at its finest/scariest.

Here are some highlights from the Dress Code and Disciplinary System in BJU’s Student Handbook:

  • For women: necklines should be no lower than 4 fingers’ width below the collarbone–pg.31 [I would NOT be surprised if the Dean of Women--or other rule-enforcer--went around doing a 4 Finger Check]
  • Denim, spandex, terrycloth, flannel and velour pants are not to be worn outside home–pg.32 [three cheers for polyester!!!]
  • No denim skirts, dresses, Crocs, Birkenstocks, hiking boots, athletic shoes or baseball caps are to be worn in class–pg. 32 [Birkenstocks are evil, LIBERAL shoes. But Crocs? What a Croc!]
  • There are NINE categories of clothing requirements: General, Class Attire, Non-Class Campus Attire, Casual Attire, Rehearsals, Sunday/Formal Attire, Recreational/Work Attire, Jewelry & Makeup, Hair–pg. 33 [hey! where the Hittin' Da Club attire?]
  • “Makeup should be worn in moderation, so that it does not draw attention to itself“–pg. 33 [Wait. What? Makeup draws attention to ITSELF? As in, better watch out for those tubes of red lipstick, they be all up in your face drawing attention to ITSELF.]
  • Hair color should appear natural–pg. 33 [it doesn't have to beeeeee natural. it just has to APPEAR natural, am I right, ladies?]
  • Men: wear a polo shirt and Docker pants–pg. 34 [all I'm saying is that Classic Cult Attire is a collared polo shirt and Docker pants. Lands' End and L.L. Bean have made bank off conservative, fundamentalist Christians]
  • Men should have short hair–but not too short! (No shaved heads, no fauxhawks). Hair should come no lower than one finger width above the eyebrow. And men should use a blending attachment when trimming their hair.–pg. 36 [yes, BJU actually specifies that men should use a BLENDING ATTACHMENT when trimming their hair. Dude, could we get ANY more specific?]
  • Why, yes. Yes, we can.
  • Men should not have sideburns any “lower than the lower opening of the ear”–pg. 36.
  • Literal quote: “Students are to shave each morning and to remain clean-shaven (no facial hair) throughout the day.”–pg. 36 [In case you don't know what clean-shaven means? It means no facial hair. Just so we're clear. NO FACIAL HAIR. Carry that shaving kit to class! Shave, man, shave!]
  • When inside your dorm room, “close the room blinds when it is dark outside”–pg. 37 [So, what you're saying is: don't dance in front of the window naked?]
  • Room check at 11am, Monday through Friday. [make sure your blinds are open!]
  • Lights out is at midnight and literal quote: “at which time students are to be in their own beds and quiet with all lights in the room turned off. This precludes talking, studying, texting and eating between midnight and 5 a.m.”–pg. 38 [is this a university or a JAIL????]
  • Personal evaluations: “residence hall students receive a private, personal evaluation. These evaluations are intended to help students become aware of what a person looks like who is experiencing mature adjustment and demonstrating a good testimony and to help students evaluate where they stand in their own personal adjustment and testimony.”–pg.39 [Do you know what this really means? This means people are watching you, reporting on you and then you get "evaluated" on all your behavior. This is just downright sick and such a HUGE opening for abusive mistreatment of students.]
  • Quote from section on ‘The Heart of Discipline at BJU’–pg. 43. “Sanctification is progressive; therefore, BJU does not expect perfection…Consequences may vary based on sincere repentance versus repeated offenses…Spiritual growth and discipline at BJU are everyone’s responsibility. Faculty and staff along with Student Life are involved in student lives, and students are involved in each other’s lives. The campus community pledges together to help each other grow and hold each other accountable with the goal of encouraging the spiritual success of every individual on campus.” [BJU doesn't expect perfection? Then why so many specific, complicated rules? This whole paragraph justifies a culture of informants, reporting on each other and saying it's all for the sake of 'spiritual growth.']
  • Demerits given for: “misuse of media” (50-150 demerits), “disrespect/disobedience” (50-150 demerits). [DISOBEDIENCE?!?! Is this even LEGAL? Adult university students can be given up to 150 demerits for DISOBEDIENCE? Disobeying whom? Their "residence hall advisor" for not cleaning up their room properly? This is such an outrage!]
  • Avoid walking on the grass–pg. 49
  • Cars have the right of way–pg. 49
  • Respond to requests from administrators within 24 hours–pg.49
  • Bring a printed Bible to chapel–pg. 49
  • No political posters or bumper stickers–pg. 49
  • Get approval before posting material on bulletin boards–pg. 49
  • No guest speakers, organizing new groups, fundraising or surveying student body without Dean approval–pg. 51 [yes, let's squelch ALL freedom of speech at BJU!]
  • “Bob Jones University provides an educational environment free of harassment of any kind—sexual, racial or otherwise”–pg. 51 [Free of harassment? This entire handbook is nothing but a COMPLETE HARASSMENT MANUAL!]
  • “Students who marry while under 20 years of age may not continue enrollment“–pg. 52
  • Student art must be checked by faculty before exposition–pg. 53
  • “The fine arts music checker checks all special music”–pg.53 [A Fine Arts Music Checker. Hello, KGB]
  • Small groups for shopping or sightseeing are to “check in with the group leader every two hours.”–pg. 55 [check in every.two.hours. Is this a rule-list for convicted felons locked in a maximum security prison?]
  • “Instead of making entertainment choices indiscriminately or insulating oneself from all entertainment, Christians should follow God’s example: create a resistance to the allurement of evil by wisely applying small doses of antigen in the form of critical reading, watching and listening.“–pg. 60 [Wisely apply small doses of antigen by subscribing to Elizabeth Esther's Blog!]

Related Posts:

BJU Senior Expelled for Protesting BJU Board Member Who Covered Up Rape
How do you spell draconian? BJU.

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  • Lucie

    What exactly is a blending attachment?

    • Miles O’Neal

       I was wondering the same thing. I don’t think I want to put my head in a blender.

      • Sarah

        A blending attachment means you don’t get blunt lines drawn in your hair once it’s cut. It helps make it look more natural and less ‘brand-new-haircut’. 

        I have no idea why it’s important for spiritual growth and education. 

  • Lucie

    How do you suppose graduates of this type of system manage in the real world?

    • http://whispersonthejourney.wordpress.com/ Sarah

      Quite well, actually. Knew a lovely couple, met at BJU, raising an awesome family… They both chuckle at the rules of their alma-matter, but it hasn’t scarred them for life. ;-)

    • Anonymous

      Some, perhaps, are biding there time there (scholarships, etc) and do better when hey make it to the real world. I’m afraid a study would show, however, that many of them make very bad decisions right out of school, or else think they are making all the right decisions and are left bewildered when they are divorced with 3 kids by 30. They’ll have to meet Jesus all over again (I pray they do) and find that He offers love and grace to this broken world, regardless of haircuts and ear buds.

      • http://whispersonthejourney.wordpress.com/ Sarah

        I feel like you could write that entire paragraph again about students graduating from any number of colleges (liberal and conservative) and it would be true. The 18-29 year old age-range isn’t known as the most responsible, emotionally stable group of people in the world. ;-)

        • Anonymous

          Perhaps. I am speaking only from my father’s experience with being raised in a strict Jehovah ‘s Witness home and not being allowed to ever make his own decisions. He often speaks of that with regret and hoped to teach my sister and I to come to our own moral decisions.

          Oppression breeds rebellion in my mind. I never claim to be an authority though

      • http://whispersonthejourney.wordpress.com/ Sarah

        I feel like you could write that entire paragraph again about students graduating from any number of colleges (liberal and conservative) and it would be true. The 18-29 year old age-range isn’t known as the most responsible, emotionally stable group of people in the world. ;-)

    • Leigh Ann

      As a graduate of this system married to a graduate of this system, I am doing just fine. Thanks for asking. I am a Lutheran, egalitarian, independent stay-at-home mom. I wear pants, polyester, lower than four finger necklines. I don’t agree with everything at the university. Actually, I am probably at odds with much of it, but I thankful for the education I had there, the friends that I made and the husband that I met. While I was there, the rules became something that I didn’t even think about. I was too busy having fun with all the activities. I had come from a very small town and hadn’t had opportunities to be in choirs, operas and sports.
      I still live in the BJ area. And just today a lady with a special needs grandson was talking about the BJ kid that helps out with him. She said “he’s going to be with Erik this weekend. I never worry when he’s with Erik. ”
      Everything is not right over there, but they are not getting everything wrong.

      • Leigh Ann

        LOL! “I ‘AM’ thankful…”

      • brooke

        I applaud you for your mature attitude. Way to go! This world can use a lot more people like you!

  • Alaina

    The scary thing for me is that my husband went (for one brief year) to a college very similar to this – Pensacola Christian College. To my knowledge, that one is even worse, if not the same. They marketed themselves as great and then when he actually got there the whole mess of crap came up.

    This is just SO bad. I think the problem is that people in the system don’t think it is bad. Parents say ‘they will pay’ for this college or that college. Students go, because they have been fed a lie. The cycle continues. 

    The viciousness of not treating adults like adults makes me want to curse. Loudly.

    • Sam

      I’ve been to Pensacola Christian College, and it was terrible. The very air feels oppressive. Even worse, I’ve heard that whatever education you might get there is absolutely worth nothing in the outside world. So, on top of everything else, it’s basically a scam. 

  • Anonymous

    The mother of God would be expelled. I would have been expelled. I guess, the best you can say for it is it is their choice to enroll there. Scares me how many students believe that all of these rules make them good Christians. Jesus would have been back in Columbia, hanging out in 5 Points. 

    I grew up in South Carolina. I never met a BJU student, but I guess once they went in, I would have been off limits, along with most of my life and the lives of my friends and family. 

    • Sarah

      Christ Himself fails all of the dress code rules. Do they have pictures of Him up I wonder? Do the students, especially the male ones, ever comment on the contradiction? 

  • Lynn

    I once had a housemate who went to Pensacola Christian  College.  She said they had gender segregated elevators, and when they made their visit to check the place out, she and her mom accidentally got on the “blue” elevator instead of the “pink” one and it was terribly awkward.

    I’m trying to figure out why denim skirts and dresses are banned, since a)many of them are quite decent, and b)Denim dresses are the epitome of BJU-alum-homeschooling-frumpiness.  No man ever lusted after a woman in a denim sack dress!  I’m surprised they aren’t the uniform.

    • Miles O’Neal

       Denim pants may only be worn in the home. Clearly denim is almost evil.

    • Anna

      I gathered that denim skirts are banned only during class, probably because they’re considered too casual.

    • Herewegokids7

       Denim dresses are verboten only for class. TOO CASUAL, of course!!  BJ has an idea of themselves that they are ‘bringing cultured’ back to Christianity.

  • TheresaEH

    ACK!!!! I donot think basic training is as strict as BJU!!!  Talk about “Big Brother is watching” eh! 
    Truth is way stranger than fiction….

    • http://faithandfood.morizot.net/ Scott Morizot

       I went through basic training. It’s not nearly as strict and a whole lot shorter!

  • http://cuppboard.blogspot.com Elizabeth Erazo

    If you want more reading on fundamentalist Christian colleges, Kevin Roose’s “The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner’s Semester at America’s Holiest University” is a great look at life inside the dorms of Liberty University. I’m not sure how Liberty’s rulebook measures up to BJU’s, but I’d imagine there’s many similarities between the students who choose to attend both.

    I have to admit, what is troubling for me is not so much the rules. After all, when I was looking for schools to attend, I googled both BJU and Pensacola and determined they were just too much for me.  However, I did apply to Moody Bible Institute, which has some pretty strict rules. At that time, I believed I could get the education I desired, as well as participate in a little “evangelical asceticism” for the benefit of my spiritual growth.

    What bothers me is that these rules are put forth as a correct way of growing a Christ-like character. Christ-likeness comes forth from knowing Him deeply and intimately. It springs from love, not what you wear or how late you stay out on Saturday.  Not to mention, it’s a system that awards privileges, which makes a breeding ground for pride. To me, these institutions represent the downfall of ascetic rules perverted and separated from their proper context of consecrated communities, vows of obedience, prays, etc. as found in the tradition of the Catholic Church.

    Not to mention everything else already said about infantilizing adults.

    • Miles O’Neal

       This is the most insightful comment I have seen. Thank you.

    • http://tocaunterbury.blogspot.com/ alex

       Seconded on Kevin Roose’s book – also “God’s Harvard: A Christian College on a Mission to Save America”, written by an adult observer (Hanna Rosin) who interviewed students at Patrick Henry College in Purcellville.

      As far as the rules – the fact that they exist doesn’t bother me so much per se, as students do choose (some of them admittedly are probably given few other choices by their parents) to attend, and the rules are much stricter at, for example, military colleges.  What bothers me is that the rules seem to be all about show – not even necessarily about growing a Christ-like character, but about projecting one.  They seem to be about showing other people that a Christian is neat and clean-cut and perfectly dressed all the time, so that being a Christian will look more attractive. 

      Oddly enough, it’s the pictures of churches helping homeless people, poverty-stricken people in other countries, diseased and dying people, that have brought a lot of my peers back to the church.  The pressed Dockers didn’t do it for them.

    • Miriam

      You’ve hit the nail on the head here. If they just said that how late you stay out and what you wear are just the methods they’ve chosen because order is necessary when you have a large group of people living together (after all, they are accountable to a lot of parents for the safety of their children, and as some have rightly pointed out here, we are dealing with a lot of immature teens) and left it at that, it would be ok; if a bit much for some people.

      But they always strongly imply, and sometimes directly state, that these rules are actually making a person more Christ-like. They have replaced the fruits of the Spirit–which are God’s marks of spirituality–with these rules as the gauge by which spiritual growth and maturity are measures. They have set themselves up in the place of God, the place of the father and the place of church leadership as the dictators and appliers of Law; the judges of others. There is no Biblical authority or precedent for them to do this. In fact they are in direct violation of James 4:11-12 (among other passages), which tells us that judging as they do is not just judging a person: when you do this you are judging God Himself and His law. You are assuming that you know better than God what rules your neighbor should be required to follow, and judging God’s law to be insufficient.

  • Rachel

    What they are really saying is:

    Give us your money and we will keep you so busy and defensive about your own moral standing that you don’t pay any attention to the moral standing or “testimony” of the people who are spending your tuition. 

  • http://www.wanderingonpurpose.com/ Amanda @wandering

    I don’t understand the shaving – Jesus had a beard. Jesus also probably wore the first century equivalent of Birkenstocks. ;)    I went to a Christian liberal arts college that had some rules, but not anywhere near this ridiculous. And I knew what I was signing up for – even the rules I didn’t agree with I followed b/c they weren’t too horrible (just often stupid). If I didn’t like them, I wouldn’t go there. But there are always students that go to these schools so their parents will pay for tuiti0n. I’d rather take ten years to get a B.S./B.A. and have loans than have anyone tell me where to go to school.

  • http://www.fromtracie.com From Tracie

    This is like having a flashback to my childhood growing up attending the elementary school connected to Pensacola Christian College and having family who worked at the college. 

    These “schools” might not be cults, but if they aren’t, they are just one small step away. 

  • http://lowerthoughts.jrbuckley.com/ J.R. Buckley

    Wow, the dress code is remarkably similar to the “Disney look.”

  • http://themommaknows.com/ Dawn @ The Momma Knows

    Hey sounds great- where do I sign my kid up? *snark*snark* WOW I can’t even imagine a parent–never mind a self-respecting 18 year old– going for this!! YIKES.

  • Incongruous Circumspection

    When I went to a normal college as an adult, I used to bristle when they took attendance.  If I’m paying for my education, isn’t it up to me to screw it up?  These peeps, as well as other Fundy U’s don’t see people as adults.  They must control every aspect of the child-student’s life.  Why?  Who knows.  But…one thing I can say is, when a Fundy U student graduates, they feel a sort of elevated status to all the idiots who still have to follow the rules.  They are one of the rule SETTERS now!  What a complex to give your graduates.  No wonder spiritual and sexual abuse is rampant in fundy circles.

    • Miles O’Neal

      Fundamentalism, like most things, exists along a bell curve. These people are near the more extreme pointy end. You can no more lump “fundies” together than you can “conservatives” or liberals”. At least, not if you want to be taken seriously outside the circle of ____-bashers.

    • brooke

      Wait … most parents are paying for the education. And I think it would be fine if a professor wanted to know who was there and who wasn’t. Why does our society bristle at just about everything?

  • http://www.embracingtheodyssey.com/ @OdysseyMamaC

    And they think this is how one goes about creating a Christ-like character? Have they actually read anything about Christ? Because He didn’t sit around the temple all day measuring the length of people’s robes and staying “safe” from outside influence. He was too busy dining with tax collectors and hanging out with prostitutes. 
    God calls us to be missionaries to the world, which requires that we actually get, you know, out in the world. Building up walls with rigid rules to keep everyone “safe” from outside influences doesn’t equip anyone for anything. 
    And I feel sorry for the folks spending all their time and energy worrying about ear phones and denim skirts and shaving. Gees….not a lot of time left to show love and grace to folks when you’ve got to enforce all those rules. 
    I laugh at all this, but it also makes me a little sick. 

  • http://stitchinguptheseams.wordpress.com/ Stitching Seams

    Not to say that ALL people who have gone there experience PTSD. They might have Stockholm Syndrome instead :P

    In all seriousness, it depends on whether you accept the system or not. If you are a skeptic, then you probably won’t come out unscathed.

  • Katz

    Meanwhile, my college had a rule against bonfires taller than the dorms.

  • Andrea Fountain

    Good thing Harry Potter is forbidden, otherwise students might get suspicious that High Inquisitor Umbridge is evidently in residence and control there. 

  • http://sarahoverthemoon.com/ Sarah Moon

    bahaha! oh, your commentary cracks me right up

  • saraplayspianotoo

    What’s really funny to me is that BJU’s rules, especially in the areas of dress and music, are NOTHING compared to my college.  But I love where I am!! 

    Here’s the thing: They don’t force me to do anything.  They sure try, but they can’t tell me what to do and they SURE can’t tell me what to think.  Case in point, my reading of Bible-college-blasting blogs. ;)   Maybe I flatter myself when I call myself a thinking person.  But I knew what I was getting into the day that I walked onto this (lovely, btw) campus.

    There are a million and one ways to get around the rules here at one of America’s top 10 strictest colleges.  I’ve only been here nine months, and I’ve already figured it out.  Submission to the rules is my choice.  I won’t try to tell you that I choose to submit all of the time.  But if I do, it’s not because I was threatened. It’s because I respect God and my leaders.

  • Ann Bowen

    After reading those rules, I then think of your beautiful ballerina daughter who wears tights and toe shoes. How can anyone discount the beauty of ballet? BJU that’s who. 
    They are taking over for the fathers authority at home by being their substitute at college. 
    I guess they don’t take heed of the fact that the grass is greener on the other side of the hill….. I wonder what the statistics show is the dropout or thrown out rate of students from that school.

    I’m a graduate of a evil liberal California State College (before it got to be a university) and I attend a Lutheran church, where gasp ::::: we have wine at communion::::::.

    • Anonymous

      i thought the same thing. my daughter would get expelled for practicing her art form–ballet.

  • Woodard Katie

    What I noticed: You CAN in fact wear flip-flops to class! SCORE! :)

    • Herewegokids7

       I’m sure that’s a loophole that will soon be rectified.

  • http://whispersonthejourney.wordpress.com/ Sarah

    I agree that some of the rules at the college seem a bit over the top. But a lot of colleges have rules that seem ridiculous or drastic. Let’s not pretend that 18 year olds are always (or even often) bent towards making responsible adult-like decisions. 

    But, don’t despair, I think there are things about BJU to get worked up about… like the culture of racism that exists at the school. That seems a bigger “fish to fry” than whether or not you can wear Birkenstocks…

  • Miles O’Neal

    I can’t decide which is weirder, that “Cars have the right of way” or that if you get married before you’re 21, you’re not worthy of being a student there.
    I doubt anyone in the NT (besides some of the Pharisees and Sadducees) would have made it through even a semester there.

    • Anonymous

      They wouldn’t have either. I mean, all that shaving? Sacrilegious.

  • Miles O’Neal

     I think the ultimate message is more, “You can’t even trust yourself. God sure doesn’t.” 8^(

  • Jack Isaacks

    I admit these rules sound stupid, but you know, if you want to go to their school, you have to follow their chicken-s*** rules.

  • ~liz

    i’m about to blow my husband’s cover. he’s an alumn of BJU but doesn’t admit it to anyone. unfortunately, he said that BJU was like freedom compared to his high school experience (think small, fundamental independent church starts christian school).  it is sad. i believe the only good thing about my husband’s BJU experience is that he taught himself how to cut hair (for all those very frequent hair checks) and made money by cutting his dorm guys’ hair. and now? i never have to take my three boys or my husband to get haircuts because my husband does them all for free! (without the “blending attachment” out of rebellion, of course). 

  • Leigh Ann

    I know that there is some reasoning that certain standards are more modest and that following them you are being holy or spiritual. I do not agree with this at all. As I said before I disagree with BJ on many things both theological and practical. But I do know that many of the dress code rules are there to create a professional atmosphere for the class room. As many believe, profession dress produces a professional atmosphere and attitude couducive to productivity and learning. I can understand that. But to take it further and have it be a sign of godliness or a way to produce godliness is wrong in my opinion.

    • brooke

      Excellent points. I feel the same as you … the majority of those rules seem to be to create their idea of a professional atmosphere. Some of them seem over the top, but it’s their facility.

    • ginandjesus

      I am far more productive and engaged when I’m comfortable, not when I’m dressing up for oppressive authoritarian approval.

  • Rushia

    Unfortunately these buffoons make homeschool curriculum Christians often eat up. It was suggested I check them out when we began homeschooling and I quickly said, “no thank you”. Your last two post on their university handbook confirms my impression of them was spot on.

    Here’s to hoping they realize their mis-use of scripture, authority, and belief that God’s given them the right to dictate these things on others is wrong. Like when they finally realized in 2000 that forbidding interracial relationships was wrong and lifted that ban. Or, wait, was God’s word wrong? Because the rule was based on scripture…. ;)

  • Herewegokids7

    Oh EE, you have (thankfully) NO IDEA.  That last one? WTH??  Pompous so-and-so’s.  And yes, there are good people there.  But seriously….antigens?  Spent 6 years of my life there, survived, and due to those pesky permission slip rules, came back *on* to campus in the trunk of someone’s car a time or two.  ;)

  • Amy Stults

    Does the sideburn thing apply to women as well as men? What about the sistahs with a facial hair problem?! Are we totally outta luck?

  • Miriam

    I’ve been working in a closed Communist country for the past 13 years. And I can tell you that the vague wording for rules is purposeful. That’s exactly what they do here. If it’s vague, it can be made to mean anything, depending on how the particular person enforcing it feels at the moment, or feels in general towards the person violating it. The Biblical example of clear, simple rules with clear consequences is too simple and too easily favors a “innocent until proven guilty” construction. It doesn’t allow man enough power, so naturally we can’t be have that. And as dormitory supervisor Priscilla Olivero (I’ve decided it’s time to name names with this wickedness) told me when I was at BJU in 1994, “We have to always assume that people are trying to break the rules.” Anything more unbibilical as a prescription for how Christians are to treat brothers and sisters in Christ I can’t really imagine.

  • Melissa Taft

    My cousin tried to go here…it didn’t work out so well. Poor dude had never been so depressed. I think he only lasted a semester. It was seriously awful.