Went to Hampton University...
2006
HAMPTON, Va. - Afros are OK but cornrows and flowing dreadlocks are
not for business administration students at Hampton University.
The hair code is part of a strict academic and dress doctrine for
combined business administration students at the private,
historically black university. The program allows students to receive
a bachelor's degree and a master's in business administration in five years.
In addition to the hair rules, students must maintain a B average
after their sophomore year, heed a conservative dress code, complete
two internships and meet regularly with business leaders.
"We don't have problems with Afros," business Dean Sid Credle said
Friday. "A nicely tapered Afro - that's fine."
Credle said the dress, grooming and behavior rules are intended to
prepare students for the starched business world.
"When we look at the top 75 African Americans in corporate America,
we don't see any of them with extreme hairdos," he said.
With the requirements, "they'll get very comfortable wearing a suit
over a five-year period. When they get into corporate America, the
transition will be easier," Credle said.
Aaron Wells, a junior from Fairfax, put away his earrings when he
enrolled. He's got no complaints.
"It really gives us a very good model of what we should be doing in
corporate America," said Wells, who hopes to pursue a career in
finance. "We need to look the part as professionals."
Credle said only one or two students per year have not complied.
Real Talk: Hampton's Old Hair Rule Stirs New Furor
www.essence.com