Students off limits to profs

New policy prohibits all student-faculty relationships

Intimate relationships between students and faculty or staff members are now completely prohibited.

Ratified by the board of trustees this summer, the new sexual offense policy is now in full effect, its biggest change being the prohibition of any relationship between students and any faculty or staff. The previous policy stated that there could be no relations between faculty and students who are in their classes, or are their advisees.

Just hours before the end of reading period last spring, the members of the General Faculty passed the policy after heated debate. Although there were roughly eight major differences between the old and new policies, debate was centered around the prohibition of student/faculty or staff relations. However, the three hours of debate seemed pointless when an overwhelming majority of GF approved the policy.

The College was forced to review its policy in the wake of several supreme court rulings from the summer of 1998.

Major changes in the policy include strengthening the obligation of the College to educate employees and students of the policy, strengthening the duty to report offenses, allowing the policy administrator to attempt to informally resolve the complaint and changing the voting standards in a formal panel from 4-1 to 3-2 to find that a sexual offense has occurred.

Clayton Koppes, the dean of arts and sciences, said "I think the policy is clear, understandable, and defensible."

The sexual offense policy not only effects faculty and staff, but also has a direct effect on students, in more ways than one.

Deborah Gardner, OC '99, played an instrumental part in voicing the concerns of many students. As a member of the Sexual Assault Support Team and with help from many other students, Gardner presented a policy revision to the Sexual Offense Review Committee in 1997. Gardner and those who worked with her, brought concerns about the vague definition of consent as well as confidentiality. Lack of education about what constitutes a sexual offense, as well as about general policies and procedures, was another issue brought forth by students.

Although the policy put together by Gardner, SAST and several others was not adopted, there are slight glimmers of their work showing through in the new policy. Moreover, Gardner did much to increase awareness of the issue among students who are all affected by the policy.