College policies on student-prof relationships face scrutiny

The University of California system has joined a number of other schools across the nation in revising restrictions that dictate the bounds of faculty-student relationships.

A new policy, put into effect at the beginning of the academic year, has narrowed the range of relationships deemed acceptable and appropriate by the school system.

According to this new set of rules, "Whenever a faculty member is responsible for academic supervision of a student, a personal relationship between them of a romantic or sexual nature, even if consensual, is inappropriate. Any such relationship jeopardizes the integrity of the educational process."

Although the UC school system had a previous policy regarding the issue, it was not as strict as the new one.

"The difference is that because of the way the policy is worded, it says that anyone who is likely to be in that discipline is off-limits," said Abby Lunardini, a spokeswoman for the University of California Office of the President.

If a professor has, or might have, any sort of impact on the student's academic life, then the relationship is not acceptable, Lunardini said.

"Anything that is defined as a dating relationship and that is beyond friendship is considered to be something off-limits," Lunardini added.

The new policy is a result of a year and a half system-wide review conducted by the Academic Senate -- the body that represents the faculty system across the UC's nine campuses.

"They thought we really should have this policy put into the system," Lunardini said.

The policy specifically lists types of unacceptable behavior, which include, "Entering into a romantic or sexual relationship with any student for whom a faculty member has, or should reasonably expect to have in the future, academic responsibility (instructional, evaluative or supervisory)."

Other schools, such as the College of William and Mary, have policies that ban any type of sexual or romantic relationships between faculty members and undergraduate students.

Although the UC's policy is not as rigid as some, it is more restrictive than Penn's.

The policy at Penn, explained in the Handbook for Faculty & Academic Administrators, states that although faculty-student relationships are always discouraged, they are allowed as long as the student is not in the professor's class or under the professor's academic guidance.

It reads, "Any sexual relations between a teacher and a student during the period of the teacher/student relationship are prohibited."

"In addition, although this policy prohibits consensual sexual relations only between a teacher/supervisor and that individual's student, the University strongly discourages any sexual relations between members of the faculty (or administration) and undergraduates," the policy continues.

Students have conflicting opinions as to what the best policy for these types of relationships should be.

"It seems to me that ultimately the main issue is whether you're going to have a conflict of interest in terms of grading," said College senior Daniel Levin, calling Penn's policy "reasonable."

"To go any further would be to put an impractical and furthermore unenforceable policy into effect," he said.

Levin added that he thinks faculty-undergraduate relationships should be allowed "as long as [they are] not undermining the whole purpose of a professor-student" interaction.

Above all, "the integrity of the academic institution must be protected," in Levin's view, and if this requires that there be a ban, then colleges should institute one.

College freshman Erica Olson said she thinks that "Penn's policy is good for the most part." However, the possibility that a student might in the future take a class or be in professional contact with a professor with whom he or she has been involved -- the situation that the new UC policy addresses -- is worrisome.

Still, Olson feels that to completely restrict any type of relationship "wouldn't be right, either."

Whether or not such restrictions should be in place, Levin said he is skeptical as to their effectiveness.

"You can ban it officially, but it doesn't necessarily mean that... it's going to prevent it from happening," he added.

Officials at the Office of the Provost could not be reached for comment.

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