Faculty/Student Relationships
Amorous relationships between faculty and students whom they directly supervise are unwise and unprofessional. Faculty members are expected to avoid romantic or sexual relationships with students whom they teach, coach, supervise, evaluate, or grade. Such relationships risk creating the perception that bias and/or favoritism may play a part in student evaluation. Additionally, such relationships create potential harm for students and raise the potential for liability for the faculty member if the facts regarding the relationship support a claim of sexual harassment. (The policy on Racial and Sexual Harassment is available below.)
Even in cases where the faculty member does not directly supervise the student, participation in an amorous relationship with a student may lead to difficulties. Such relationships, particularly when the faculty member and student are in the same academic unit, create the potential for conflicts of interest. Faculty members should distance themselves from any decisions that may reward or penalize a student with whom the faculty member is having, or has had, an amorous relationship.