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.
\nIn Section 4, the 2019-2020 student handbook reads: \u201cStudents 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.\u201d Previously, the handbook did not include the adjective \u201csuggestive,\u201d nor did it include the entire final sentence.
\nAccording 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.
\n\u201cWe definitely still uphold the expectation related to dance clubs, bars or other places of inappropriate entertainment,\u201d Neal said. \u201cHowever, 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\u2019s allowed.\u201d
\nThe other addition to Section 4 was the statement that the University does not host social dances. Neal said this is nothing new.
\n\u201cThe University has never hosted social dances, and the wording of the handbook prior to this year made it clear that we wouldn\u2019t host a social dance because we didn\u2019t even allow any type of dancing,\u201d Neal said. \u201cWith 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.\u201d
\nThe restriction of University-hosted social dances extends to any organizations tied to Harding, including social clubs.
\nSenior Taylor Sexton served as an activities director for women\u2019s social club Ju Go Ju in spring 2019. After requesting to include line dancing at Ju Go Ju\u2019s formal function, Sexton said the activity was not approved.
\nSexton 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.
\n\u201cI think that \u2014 given it was line dancing, where you don\u2019t even touch anybody \u2014 it should be OK,\u201d Sexton said. \u201cI don\u2019t understand [prohibiting] something like line dancing, especially when there\u2019s something like Spring Sing where you do touch people.\u201d
\nNeal said occasional Harding events like Impact\u2019s Throm and CAB\u2019s past block parties are not organized social dances.
\n\u201c[With] activities [on campus], a social dance is not the goal,\u201d Neal said. \u201cIf there are individuals enjoying the music in a way that\u2019s not suggestive, then it\u2019s not likely anyone is going to say anything.\u201d
\nEven with attempts to clarify the existing dance policies, Neal said he knows there is subjectivity to the term \u201csuggestive.\u201d He said it is permitted for students to enjoy dancing environments and opportunities they know to be appropriate.
\nOne 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.
\n\u201cYou can show up not knowing anyone, and people come in and teach you how to swing dance and stuff,\u201d Overbey said. \u201cIt\u2019s very welcoming; I really like it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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