Quote Originally Posted by newfsmith View Post
Now for a slight hijack of the thread.

Where did your friend defend her thesis? When my husband went to his thesis defense (U. of Wis-Madison) he did wear a tie, but no coat. In fact, none of the profs wore jackets. Was that just because it was the late 60's, or a funky department (zoology), or a Land Grant school?
Our department (Geology, CU Boulder) definitely doesn't due tuxes either. Appropriate business attire yes, but not formal attire. Heck, some people give keynote addresses in jeans and a t-shirt at the conferences I go to, so a tux would be way way way overdressed.