Student, Staff, and Faculty Consensual Relationship Policy
Scope
All financial and administrative policies involving community members across campus, including volunteers are within the scope of this policy. If there is a variance between departmental expectations and the common approach described through college policy, the college will look to the campus community, including volunteers to support the spirit and the objectives of college policy. Unless specifically mentioned in a college policy, the college’s Board of Trustees are governed by their Bylaws.
Policy
I. INTRODUCTIONThe educational mission of the College depends upon a learning and working environment marked by mutual respect and trust among members of the College community and by confidence in the fundamental fairness of decisions that affect their well-being.
Personal relationships that have the potential to undermine trust or the perception of fairness are contrary to the College’s central purpose. Particularly problematic are consensual sexual relationships, past or present, between two members of the College community in which one person exercises direct supervisory or evaluative authority over the other (for example, supervisor and subordinate employee, department chair and member of his or her department). Because of their inherent power differential, such relationships are fraught with possibilities for abuse: They can lessen confidence in any evaluation process that affects the subordinate party. They can hamper the effectiveness of established procedures and subtly alter the dynamics of collegial relations. They can interfere with the proper fulfillment of professional responsibilities.
This policy was formerly under the Gender-based Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Violence Policy and Procedures.
II. PROHIBITED RELATIONSHIPS
In the interest of ensuring a living, learning, and working environment that supports its mission, the College has adopted the following policy regarding consensual sexual relationships:
A. The College prohibits all sexual relationships between members of the faculty and students except in cases where an established relationship predates one party’s designation as faculty or student, such as when a faculty member’s spouse/partner chooses to enroll in a course. In cases where a preexisting relationship exists the student may not be enrolled in a course taught by their spouse/partner.
B. The College prohibits all sexual relationships between members of the staff and students, with one limited exception: A relationship between a student and a College alumnus/alumna who immediately upon graduation, or at the start of the semester immediately following graduation, begins working for the College and is in an existing relationship with a student on the start date of their employment, provided that they do not otherwise have any direct supervisory or evaluative authority over the student.
C. The College does not allow any member of the College community who is involved in a sexual relationship with a person over whom they have direct supervisory or evaluative authority to continue to exercise such authority over the subordinate party.
D. The College prohibits all sexual relationships between a Resident Assistant (“RA”) and any residents assigned to the dormitory or other living quarters over which the RA has responsibility or is assigned.
E. The College prohibits all sexual relationships between First Year Experience (“FYE”) Mentors and students who participate in the FYE Program, and between Bridge Scholar Mentors and students who participate in the Bridge Scholar Program, during the time that the students are participating in the respective Programs (whether as participating students or mentors).
III. ENFORCEMENT
A. Any faculty member or staff member who violates the College’s prohibition of sexual relationships between faculty members and students will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.
B. Should a staff member meet the exception regarding graduates who immediately begin working at the College upon graduation and at the time of beginning work is in an existing relationship with a student, such staff member must notify the College Human Resources Department of the relationship immediately upon starting work for the College.
C. Should a sexual relationship develop between members of the faculty or staff in which one of the partners in the relationship has direct supervisory or evaluative authority over the other, the College requires the person with authority to recuse themselves in a timely manner from exercising that authority over the subordinate party and to assume no direct supervisory or evaluative authority over the other person in the future. To these ends, the person with authority must inform their supervisor or the Dean of the College or the appropriate Vice President and Human Resources leadership, of the consensual relationship in which they have become involved. While keeping this information as confidential as possible, the superior so informed will take the steps necessary to ensure that the staff or faculty member with supervisory or evaluative authority does not exercise that authority over the other party involved in the relationship and that some other person assumes the role of supervisor or evaluator, if possible and in the best interests of the College. The person with authority over the other person in the relationship is prohibited from having direct supervisory or evaluative authority over the other person in the relationship at any time in the future. Any staff or faculty member who fails to inform their superior of a consensual relationship covered under this consensual relationship policy will be subject to disciplinary action that may range from a written reprimand to suspension without pay to termination.
D. Any RA who wishes to enter into a sexual relationship with one of their residents, or vice versa, must first request and receive a move to another residence.