10.73 Consensual Sexual or Romantic Relationships
There are special risks in any sexual or romantic relationship between individual in inherently unequal positions, and the party who holds the position of greater authority or power assumes such risks. In the University context, such positions include (but are not limited to) supervisor and employee, senior faculty and junior faculty, mentor and mentee, professor and student and volunteer and student. Because of the potential for conflict of interest, exploitation, favoritism, bias, and the appearance of impropriety, such relationships undermine the real or perceived integrity of the supervision and evaluation provided. Additionally, such relationships may be less consensual than the individual whose position confers power or authority believes. The relationship is likely perceived in different ways by each of the parties to it, especially in retrospect.
Moreover, such relationships may harm or injure others in the academic or work environment. Relations in which one party is in a position to review the work or influence the career of the other may provide grounds for complaints by third parties when that relationship gives undue access or advantage, restrict opportunities, or creates a perception of these problems. Furthermore, circumstances may change, and conduct that was previously welcome may become unwelcome. Even when both parties have consented at the outset to a romantic involvement, this past consent does not remove grounds for a charge based upon subsequent unwelcome conduct.
Where such a relationship exists, the person in the position of greater authority or power will bear the primary burden of accountability and must ensure that he or she – and this is particularly important for faculty members – does not exercise any supervisory or evaluation function over the other person in the relationship. Where such recusal is required, the recusing party must notify his or her supervisor, department head, or dean, as applicable, so that the department head, dean or supervisor can exercise his or her responsibility to evaluate the possibility and adequacy of alternative supervisory evaluative
arrangements. Staff members, mentors, and volunteers must also notify the Office of Human Resources. To reiterate, the responsibility for recusal and notification rests with the person in the position of greater authority or power. Failure to comply with these recusal and notification requirements is a violation of this policy, and therefore grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
With students – The University will view it as unethical and a violation of this policy if University employees, mentors or volunteers engage in sexual or romantic relationships with students enrolled in their classes or subject to their supervision. Such employee/mentor/volunteer-student relationships may include, but are not limited to, faculty and student, advisor and advisee, teaching assistant and student, coach and athlete, the individuals who supervise the day-to-day student living environment of student residents, mentor and mentee relationships and volunteer and student relationships. The behavior is, in most cases, unethical even when the relationship is consensual (i.e., both parties have consented), because the voluntary consent of the student is in doubt, given the power imbalance in the student-employee/mentor/volunteer relationship. Even if consent were to be shown, a clear conflict of interest would still exist which might create the appearance of discrimination or favoritism in grading or access to educational or other University opportunities. Employees who violate this policy are subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. Mentors and volunteers who violate this policy are subject to their mentor and volunteer status with the University ending at the discretion of the University. Relationships between a graduate student and an undergraduate student, when the graduate student has some supervisory responsibility for the undergraduate student, are prohibited by this policy.
Moreover, such relationships may harm or injure others in the academic or work environment. Relations in which one party is in a position to review the work or influence the career of the other may provide grounds for complaints by third parties when that relationship gives undue access or advantage, restrict opportunities, or creates a perception of these problems. Furthermore, circumstances may change, and conduct that was previously welcome may become unwelcome. Even when both parties have consented at the outset to a romantic involvement, this past consent does not remove grounds for a charge based upon subsequent unwelcome conduct.
Where such a relationship exists, the person in the position of greater authority or power will bear the primary burden of accountability and must ensure that he or she – and this is particularly important for faculty members – does not exercise any supervisory or evaluation function over the other person in the relationship. Where such recusal is required, the recusing party must notify his or her supervisor, department head, or dean, as applicable, so that the department head, dean or supervisor can exercise his or her responsibility to evaluate the possibility and adequacy of alternative supervisory evaluative
arrangements. Staff members, mentors, and volunteers must also notify the Office of Human Resources. To reiterate, the responsibility for recusal and notification rests with the person in the position of greater authority or power. Failure to comply with these recusal and notification requirements is a violation of this policy, and therefore grounds for disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
With students – The University will view it as unethical and a violation of this policy if University employees, mentors or volunteers engage in sexual or romantic relationships with students enrolled in their classes or subject to their supervision. Such employee/mentor/volunteer-student relationships may include, but are not limited to, faculty and student, advisor and advisee, teaching assistant and student, coach and athlete, the individuals who supervise the day-to-day student living environment of student residents, mentor and mentee relationships and volunteer and student relationships. The behavior is, in most cases, unethical even when the relationship is consensual (i.e., both parties have consented), because the voluntary consent of the student is in doubt, given the power imbalance in the student-employee/mentor/volunteer relationship. Even if consent were to be shown, a clear conflict of interest would still exist which might create the appearance of discrimination or favoritism in grading or access to educational or other University opportunities. Employees who violate this policy are subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. Mentors and volunteers who violate this policy are subject to their mentor and volunteer status with the University ending at the discretion of the University. Relationships between a graduate student and an undergraduate student, when the graduate student has some supervisory responsibility for the undergraduate student, are prohibited by this policy.
Effective Date
Approved by Board of Curators: January 15, 2026