AboutUST
Effective date:9/1/1999
Pertains to: All students, faculty and staff
Policy Index: www.stthomas.edu/policies
Consenting Relationships Policy
Consenting romantic or sexual relationships between faculty and students,
administrators and students, or between supervisor and employee are considered
to be inappropriate. The power differential inherent in such relationships
compromises one's ability to decide freely. Therefore, faculty, administrators
and supervisors are warned against the possible costs of even an apparently
consenting relationship. Any university employee who enters into a romantic or
sexual relationship with a student or subordinate where a professional power
differential exists must realize that, if a charge of sexual harassment is
subsequently lodged, it will be exceedingly difficult to prove mutual consent.
Relationships between a graduate student and an undergraduate student when the
graduate student has some supervisory responsibility for the undergraduate
student are included in this policy. Among other relationships included are
those between a student or employee and an administrator, coach, adviser,
program director, counselor or residential staff member who has supervisory
responsibility for that student or employee.
