Some policies should remain unstated

The University of California has adopted a new policy banning “romantic or sexual”… The University of California has adopted a new policy banning “romantic or sexual” relationships between professors and their students.

The policy took effect in July at the university’s nine campuses. Faculty members who disobey the ban face sanctions ranging from reprimand to dismissal.

Policies at universities throughout the country vary. The most common one, and the one that has been in place at Pitt since July, 1996, states that relationships between students and faculty who are directly responsible for evaluating them in any way are prohibited, and should such a relationship arise, the faculty member must remove him- or herself from any supervisory or evaluative position over the student.

The strictest policy, in place at the College of William and Mary, states that no relationship can ever occur between any faculty and any undergraduate student, regardless of their affiliation – meaning a professor of zoology can never consentingly date an engineering student.

It seems reasonable to say that relationships where there is such a power – and possibly age – differential could be less than healthy and perhaps should be discouraged. However, almost everyone in a university setting is at least 18, which means that any actions between students and teachers are also actions between consenting adults. Through most of history, though, student-teacher relationships have been frowned upon.

Now, making such a policy concrete not only adds bureaucracy, it bestows the cachet of “rulebreaking” on an already socially questionable pursuit.

Students who seek out sexual relationships with teachers for the thrill or possible gain of such a relationship – completely aside from any genuine, healthy, romantic relationships that can and do arise – are already operating outside the norm. They are aware of this, and few would flaunt such a relationship. Perhaps they deserve some type of censuring from their peers or parents, but to overtly outlaw consensual sex between adults is too much authority for a university to assume.

Healthy relationships can and have occurred between students and their teachers. It’s not a university’s place to forbid such a liason. However, such students and teachers probably ought to respect their positions and budding love enough to wait until they aren’t in a power relationship – on their own.