Editorial: Professor-student relationship ban intrusive

In 2003 the University of California adopted a policy banning
relationships between students and their professors. The alleged
violation of that policy by the director of the Academic
Advancement Program has highlighted the flawed and invasive nature
of the policy ““ and the need to repeal it.

Few details are available in the case of Vice Provost Adolfo
Bermeo. Neither he nor the university were willing to discuss the
situation or even confirm an investigation.

But a student who has worked with Bermeo this year has said the
professor apologized for the relationship to his Chicana/o studies
M124 class this quarter.

The UC-wide policy states that students and professors may not
have consensual relationships if “the faculty member has or
should reasonably expect to have in the future, academic
responsibility” for the student.

Failure to abide by the policy opens professors to punishments
set forth in the UC Faculty Code of Conduct that range from censure
to dismissal.

In theory, such an absolute ban on professor-student romances
might dissuade professors from flirting with students some and head
off more significant interactions.

But there is no evidence that bans of this nature actually work
““ or that they effectively prevent more serious problems,
such as sexual harassment.

Instead, the UC ban invades the privacy of faculty members and
students alike. Even when there is no other evidence of misconduct,
the mere existence of a relationship is grounds for punitive
action.

The university should not be in the business of dictating or
policing morality. Professional codes of conduct should focus on a
professor’s academic work, not his or her personal
entanglements.

There is a real difference between consensual relationships
between adults and instances of sexual harassment ““ and the
university already has policies against harassment. Indeed, it is
hard to understand why a ban on such romances might benefit the
university, except as a means to more easily defend against sexual
harassment lawsuits.

It is one thing to educate professors about the risks and
potentially unbalanced nature of professor-student romantic
entanglements. It is another thing for the university to consider
all such relationships inherently problematic.

The UCLA teachers’ guide states “faculty members
must understand that “˜romantic’ or any kind of
socio-sexual liaison with current students can … seriously
compromise the student-teacher relationship.”

Unlike the official UC policy, the teachers’ guide
suggests a flexible, case-by-case approach to evaluating
faculty-student romances.

Professors who sexually harass students or unfairly alter grades
because of their relationships should be investigated and punished.
But policies already exist for both concerns. Consenting adults
should be allowed to conduct their personal lives with a reasonable
degree of privacy, and this UC-wide policy, being tested in the
public spotlight for the first time, should be repealed.