In addition to dress code revisions this year, the Harding administration changed another aspect of the student handbook: the statements regarding dance policies. With several words added to the dancing guidelines for the first time this year, some students wondered what exactly had changed.
In Section 4, the 2019-2020 student handbook reads: “Students are not to visit inappropriate places of entertainment such as dance clubs or bars. Students are not allowed to participate in suggestive social dancing. The University does not host social dances.” Previously, the handbook did not include the adjective “suggestive,” nor did it include the entire final sentence.
According to Zach Neal, assistant vice president of student life and dean of students, nothing has changed in practice. He said the rules remain the same as they have in years past, and the only change is that the wording clears up existing policies.
“We definitely still uphold the expectation related to dance clubs, bars or other places of inappropriate entertainment,” Neal said. “However, we wanted to show reasonable accommodation for those who wanted to clarify what is social dancing, and when is there a time and if there is a time. So, the separating of those expectations in the handbook allowed us to be more clear on what’s allowed.”
The other addition to Section 4 was the statement that the University does not host social dances. Neal said this is nothing new.
“The University has never hosted social dances, and the wording of the handbook prior to this year made it clear that we wouldn’t host a social dance because we didn’t even allow any type of dancing,” Neal said. “With the clarification that there may be an environment or a setting that it is allowed, we thought it was appropriate to include that we will continue our practice to not host any type.”
The restriction of University-hosted social dances extends to any organizations tied to Harding, including social clubs.
Senior Taylor Sexton served as an activities director for women’s social club Ju Go Ju in spring 2019. After requesting to include line dancing at Ju Go Ju’s formal function, Sexton said the activity was not approved.
Sexton said she thinks the allowance of appropriate, nonsuggestive social dancing should extend to club functions since it is allowed when students are not officially affiliated with the University.
“I think that — given it was line dancing, where you don’t even touch anybody — it should be OK,” Sexton said. “I don’t understand [prohibiting] something like line dancing, especially when there’s something like Spring Sing where you do touch people.”
Neal said occasional Harding events like Impact’s Throm and CAB’s past block parties are not organized social dances.
“[With] activities [on campus], a social dance is not the goal,” Neal said. “If there are individuals enjoying the music in a way that’s not suggestive, then it’s not likely anyone is going to say anything.”
Even with attempts to clarify the existing dance policies, Neal said he knows there is subjectivity to the term “suggestive.” He said it is permitted for students to enjoy dancing environments and opportunities they know to be appropriate.
One such appropriate environment is the regular swing dancing nights that take place at Zion Climbing Center in Searcy. Senior Paden Overbey has joined the festivities fairly regularly through his time at Harding, and he said he always enjoyed it.
“You can show up not knowing anyone, and people come in and teach you how to swing dance and stuff,” Overbey said. “It’s very welcoming; I really like it.”