Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 2, 1993                   TAG: 9306020139
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MADELYN ROSENBERG STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                LENGTH: Short

FINE THREADS DON'T MEAN TOP PROFS, TECH STUDY SAYS

According to a dissertation by one Tech student, the advice is dead wrong.

"The oldest professors who dressed the most casually rated the highest," said Margery Davis, who now has her doctorate in clothing and textiles.

Davis conducted a survey of about 360 students. Each student was shown one of six photographs of professorial-looking men, either young or old, in one of three types of attire: formal, moderately formal and casual.

Clothing ranged from suit and tie to pants and shirt.

The older men in the photos received high scores for knowing their subjects and organization and were expected to be more effective at teaching.

The younger men received high scores for being seen as sympathetic toward students, and friendlier, "maybe because he's closer in age."

Those in more casual attire were deemed approachable.

Before she started her study, Davis had seen a survey in California that showed casual professors as favorites.

"But I thought, `That's California for you,' " Davis said.

But the study shows that at Tech, too, a polo shirt and Dockers go further than a business suit.

Of course the subjects weren't really professors, Davis said, just professorly looking men she had spotted.

Another study has been suggested to determine if the same applies to female professors.

Valerie Giddings, an extension clothing specialist at Tech, said the business professors at most universities dress more formally than others.

Students may simply feel comfrotable with professors who dress more like they do, she said.