Attire

As employees of the University, Teaching Assistants are expected to adhere to UWM’s workplace standards. These state:

“Employees are expected to dress appropriately for the University workplace and to maintain standards for personal hygiene that do not affect the health or safety of themselves or others.”

Teaching Assistants should select attire that is appropriate for their specific field or course requirements while maintaining professional standards suitable for the university workplace. Some courses may have additional safety requirements (for example, lab courses typically prohibit open-toed sandals for safety reasons). While there is no requirement for formal business attire when teaching at UWM, TAs should ensure their clothing choices support their professional role as university employees and instructors.

As university employees in an educational setting, Teaching Assistants should avoid clothing that is overly casual (such as pajamas or sleepwear) or displays political statements, slogans, or potentially controversial messaging that could detract from the learning environment. The goal is to maintain appropriate professional standards while feeling comfortable and confident in the instructional role.

For specific safety requirements and additional guidance, please refer to:

Laboratory dress code and safety requirements: https://uwm.edu/bms-labs/policies-and-procedures/personal-protective-equipment-and-dress-code/ 

UWM Code of Conduct: https://apps.uwm.edu/secu-policies/storage/other/SAAP%207-3.%20UWM%20Code%20of%20Conduct.pdf 

Portions of this page were written with assistance from Claude 4.

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