Speaks out

The UC Board of Regents is considering a policy regarding
faculty/student dating. We asked students on campus what they
thought of the issue. Everett Anderson

Graduate student, computer science

“I tend to feel faculty have a degree of power over their
students and I feel it is inappropriate for faculty to date
students. There might be an expectation on the student’s
part that the professor might help them academically over other
students in the future. I feel the same way about students
dating their teaching assistants. As a TA you are basically a
professor and students are looking up to you and often the TA is
the person grading the papers. So a student shouldn’t date their
TA, at least while they’re teaching the student’s section. I
would still also feel uncomfortable with graduate students dating
faculty members because there still is this power relationship and
I wouldn’t want to compromise my academic integrity.” Chaska
Berger

Graduate student, urban planning

“I think that if both the student and the faculty member
are consenting it is okay for students to form a more intimate
relationship with professors. Especially at the graduate level, you
are an adult, a consenting adult, and therefore it would be
perfectly fine. It would be a lot different if it were your own
professor because there might be some sort of conflict of interest.
The professor might favor or not favor the student depending on the
development of the relationship. It would also be hard to enroll in
a course taught by a professor if you have dated him or her and
broken up. But I would sooner not have a problem with students
dating professors then have a problem with dating them.”
Justin Noodlemen

First-year, undeclared

“There is supposed to be a separation between students and
faculty and it would be crossing the line if a student were to date
a professor, especially their own. Students should keep their
school and personal lives separate. If a student were to date a TA
it would be a different story, but with professors it’s too
much of an age difference; two different worlds that should be
separate. Even at the graduate level, it still shouldn’t be
allowed, even if there is less of an age difference because they
are still students. If students really want to date a faculty
member, it’s not our place to say they can’t, but it
just seems like it’s crossing a line that shouldn’t be
crossed.” Melissa Gutchrie

First-year, undeclared

“I don’t think it is appropriate for a student to
date a professor because it infringes on the professional
relationship you are supposed to have with your professors. You are
supposed to feel comfortable with your professor, but not to the
point where it makes other students feel uncomfortable, especially
in the classroom environment where you are there to learn.
It’s a little different with TAs, because they don’t
necessarily have the authority of a professor and they are still
students themselves, but many times they are the ones grading the
papers and I would be mad if a peer dating a TA received better
grades then I did. There is a line between school and your personal
life and I don’t think it should be compromised, especially
at the undergraduate level.”