STUDENT/FACULTY AND STAFF RELATIONSHIPS POLICY

Adrian College encourages the development and maintenance of an environment conducive to learning and education for all students. Adrian College considers amorous or sexual relationships between students and members of the faculty, including those relationships which appear to involve genuinely mutual consent, to be inimical for several reasons.

Because instructors have tremendous authority over students’ grades and recommendations for further study or future employment, amorous or sexual relationships between students and faculty members necessarily involve a disparity in power. Such a disparity in power makes coercion possible and, even where there is no explicit or intended threat, considerations of the instructor’s authority may influence a student’s consent to a relationship. Furthermore, the termination or initiation of such relationships may degenerate into sexual harassment or be characterized by conduct which may be perceived as sexual harassment.

Amorous or sexual relationships between students and faculty members may also cause an instructor to favor the student involved over other students. Such favoritism is unprofessional and detrimental to the education process of all students. Equally harmful is other students’ perception that such favoritism exists, regardless of whether there is any factual basis to support that perception. If other students believe that the relationship has affected an instructor’s impartiality and that academic rewards are not distributed by merit, the resentment and loss of morale caused by such beliefs will undermine the integrity of the education process.

Similarly, college employees other than members of the faculty may also be in positions of power, authority or trust relative to students. These involvement’s may include student evaluations, disciplinary sanctions, recommendations, employment, finances or judgments related to academic status, enrollment or matriculation.

Students who are a party to an amorous or sexual relationship with a faculty or staff member and who believe that as a result of the relationship they may have been the subject of an abuse of power or authority, may seek redress through the process described in the College’s Policy on Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment (below). Members of the college community, other than students involved in the student-employee relationship, who have factual knowledge of a student-employee relationship, may bring the matter to the attention of the vice president to whom the employee reports. In the case of the employee being one of the College Vice Presidents, the matter should be referred to the College President.

An employee may find himself or herself about to enter into a relationship as described in its policy. If this should happen and the employee believes that due to extenuating circumstances he or she should be exempt from the confines and sanctions of this policy, the employee should immediately notify the Vice President to whom they report and explain the circumstances that they believe warrant special consideration.

The Vice President will report the request to a Committee constituted expressly to determine whether such exemptions shall be granted. This "Committee on the Policy on Student/Faculty and Staff Relationships" shall be composed of the President of the College and four other members appointed by him or her. Two of the appointees shall be women; two shall be men. Each appointee shall have a minimum of five years experience at the College. Appointees serve for one academic year at the pleasure of the President, with no limits as to reappointment.

In light of the inequalities between students and faculty or staff members and the appearance of exploitation or favoritism inherent in student-employee amorous or sexual relationships, employees are prohibited from engaging in such relationships with students currently enrolled at Adrian College. Employees engaging in such relationships will be construed as having committed personal and professional misconduct and will be subject to appropriate sanctions, up to and including suspension or termination. Furthermore, if a complaint is initiated by a student, even when both parties have consented to the development of such a relationship, it is the employee who, by virtue of his or her special responsibility, will be held accountable for unprofessional conduct.