Before school was in session for the fall semester, human resource directors were sent a reminder on appropriate relations between students and faculty. Whether it is an attraction to a member of the opposite sex that a student or faculty member is working with, or even a simple crush on a new professor, a staff member who gets involved in these sexual relationships could be considered unprofessional and unethical.
            According to the regents’ policy, in an article sponsored by director of labor and employee relations, Kris Racina, states that those who participate in a sexual relationship, “with students enrolled in their classes or subject to their supervision, even when both parties have consented to the relationship, will be engaging in unprofessional behavior.”
            This reference to “unprofessional behavior” is further backed up by Joy Morrison, director of faculty development.
            “In general I advise faculty members not to get involved with their student. Something that happens from time to time is a student falsely accusing a faculty member of sexual harassment as revenge for something like a bad grade, a failing grade, unreturned advances, etc. It’s a fine line and faculty is very vulnerable. It is difficult to clear your name when this happens. This is why I caution them to never get involved with one of their own students,” said Morrison, via email.
            The Regents’ Policy further states that, “Supervisors who have authority or control over employees and engage in sexual relations with those employees, abuse their power…”
Morrison said, “I have no problems with [sexual relationships between students or faculty] as long as it is consensual and the student is not taking any classes from the faculty member. Our students are older and many are graduate students, so as long as they are in an adult relationship which is consensual its OK. I don’t think its abuse of power if it’s consensual,” Morrison said.
             Although students and faculty members should not engage in a sexual relationship, age is a major factor in determining that sense of ethical judgment. Morrison believes that the older the student and faculty member are and if both parties are similar in age, the better judgment they will have in order to either avoid or engage in a responsible relationship.
             “However I think its questionable judgment on the part of the faculty member to get involved with a student. But we are all humans and subject to human wants and desires. I think it’s a fine line though, and if the student is in a class or in any way reporting to the professor I am against it,” Morrison said.
“Sexual relationships between faculty members and students occurring outside the instructional context may lead to difficulties, particularly when the faculty member are in the same academic unit or in units that are academically allied; relationships that the parties view as consensual may appear to others to be exploitive,” according to the Regents’ Policy.
             Many would say that this statement is valid as far as how people view student-faculty sexual relations, whereas others would simply say that this is not an option; that one cannot engage in a sexual relationship between a student and faculty member without there being serious consequences. This is also expressed within the regents’ policy article, as it clearly gives an example of what could possibly occur due to a sexual relationship between a student and faculty member.
           “Unprofessional or prohibited relationships may violate state law and expose the University and the faculty member or supervisor to significant risk of claims of sexual harassment by the student in the relationship or by other students observing the relationship,” according to the Regents’ Policy.
As stated throughout the regents’ policy and through the additional commentary from Morrison, students and faculty members now see why and how these sexual relations between one another can seriously affect their future professionally, and more often than not, socially.