Student-Professor relationships

College Confidential Community
1

<p>Should student-professor relationships be banned? I find this topic to be really interesting. </p>

<p>Here is the article: </p>

<p>UC May Ban Faculty-Student Romances, Sex</p>

<p>By Justin Scott — Staff Writer
Published Thursday May 15, 2003 </p>

<p>It may soon be official - faculty members who engage in a romantic or sexual relationship with a student may violate the University’s code of conduct.</p>

<p>The UC Board of Regents is considering an addition to the Faculty Code of Conduct making it a violation for a faculty member to engage in a relationship with a student for whom he or she has an academic responsibility or should expect to have such a responsibility.</p>

<p>The amendment, which was endorsed by the Academic Council on April 23, 2003, is yet to be adopted by the UC administration and the board of regents. However, it will be discussed during the upcoming May 28 meeting of the assembly of the Academic Senate.</p>

<p>The revisions are expected to affect all University instructors, including professors, lecturers and teaching assistants. For many graduate students, the revisions to the amendment hit closer to home, as they tend to interact more with the faculty.</p>

<p>“I don’t think it’s ever appropriate to date a professor,” sociology graduate student Kelly Graydon said, “but there’s an important distinction between a romantic relationship and just hanging out in a collegiate manner with a faculty member.”</p>

<p>The proposed revisions to the policy have sparked a campuswide debate. According to Sexual Harassment Prevention Education Coordinator Judy Guillermo-Newton, the new standards will bring the UC in line with other California universities, as they are based on a Yale University faculty code.</p>

<p>“Discrepancies between different departments and different campuses can often cause a lot of confusion,” Guillermo-Newton said. “There’s a real differential of power between students and teachers, and that’s what leads to problems.”</p>

<p>To many people, faculty-student romantic relationships can have unfair consequences, both for and against the students participating in them. While third parties may perceive a student engaging in a romantic relationship with a professor as receiving advantages, it is when those relationships end that people really get hurt, Guillermo-Newton said.</p>

<p>“It always bothers me when I see someone abusing their power,” sociology Professor John Baldwin said. “I’ve been here a long time, and I’ve seen it happen. I know that there are people in our department it would affect.”</p>

<p>On the other hand, disagreement with the proposed amendment has been widespread. While the new revisions are specific to students to whom a faculty member has a direct academic responsibility, many people are resisting the University’s extension of regulation into their personal lives.</p>

<p>“I agree that it could be a problem if you were in the professor’s class, or under his instruction, but where does it stop?” second-year religious studies and English major Nicole Palmer said. “I mean, we’re adults; the University has no role in policing every relationship, on campus or off.”</p>

<p>While it might be true that many students opt not to involve themselves in romantic or sexual relationships with faculty members, some are upset that the University is seeking to take away their decision to do so.</p>

<p>“It might not be the classiest thing to sleep with a teacher to improve your grade,” said freshman political science major Andrea Bravo, “but I’d definitely say that there are far worse things that go on at this campus.”</p>

<p>Guillermo-Newton said that regardless of the UC Board of Regents’ decision on the proposed policy, difficulties caused by faculty-student relationships gone awry might be hard to regulate.</p>

<p>“The problem I see is that we are trying to change the culture,” she said. “The question is, can we do this by law?”</p>

2

<p>I think it should be banned for undergraduates who are mostly supported by their parents (in my opinion), but not for grad students who are often self sufficient and older. This of course would only apply if the student has the professor for a class.</p>

3

<p>I don't think it's anyone's business. Yes, there are drawbacks, but that's true for every relationship. The fact remains that both parties are adults, and they should be treated as such.</p>

4

<p>I support the ban. Professors and students should not have romantic relationships as it endangers the integrity of the university. Frankly, I am surprised that this issue even needs to be discussed.</p>

5

<p>"It's not technically illegal, just frowned upon."</p>

6

<p>I think it's fantastic. I should think it would be very difficult for professors to remain completely objective while marking the papers or tests of students with whom they had a romantic or sexual relationship. Either they show favouritism, or, while trying not to appear to show favouritism, give said paper higher scrutiny and a lower grade than it deserves. Even if a professor doesn't consciously do this, it would be hard not to do this a little bit, and it would be even harder not to be accused of doing this. It's just a big ugly mess.
If the professor just wants some ass from people eager to please him, that's immoral and he's taking advantage of his position of power. If it's actually serious and they really have strong feelings for each other, it won't kill them to wait until after the student is done taking the professor's class. There's no excuse for comprimising fairness at a university--or even comprising the perception of fairness.</p>

7

<p>What kitkattail said is right. Most students (who are adults) who engage in these relationships know the possible consequences at least on some conscious level. If they still want to go through with it, then that is up to them. Universities already have enough to worry about, that student-prof relationships shouldn't be any of their business.</p>

8

<p>I like older men. ;)</p>

9

<p>I can't believe it's not already banned. Considering the power imbalance, I can't see how a student/faculty relationship can ever be fair to a student.
I had a short relationship with a prof when I was a freshman in college. I think I was flattered that he liked me and thought I was "special", and was too naive to see what was really going on. I suppose some students are more savvy than I was then, but not all - there's just no reason for it and no way it can be an equal relationship. What does a student do if they want out in the middle of the course, which happened in my case? VERY uncomfortable, to say the least, and not conducive to learning, which is what kids are there for. I never took another class in the discipline, and felt I had to avoid him and the department the rest of my time there. And this was a relatively good outcome!
Relationships are a bad idea with no merits for the students. (bluealien - you can date older men without them being your prof ;) )</p>

10

<p>Yeah, but if you like someone (regardless of their occupation and other things), you cannot help it.</p>

11

<p>"Yeah, but if you like someone (regardless of their occupation and other things), you cannot help it."</p>

<p>That's the difference between being a child/young adult and a responsible adult, like a prof - they can (and should) help it. Not the "liking", but the acting on it.</p>

12

<p>Okay, then let me rephrase:</p>

<p>If you like someone and want to act on it, then you cannot help it. Either way, I'm not changing my mind. I have never liked people my own age and will continue to do so.</p>

13

<p>Nothing wrong with that, bluealien, as men a bit older are more attractive to mature females - more knowledgeable, more sophisticated, more powerful and more worldly. It's very common for college girls to be attracted to their profs - especially the young, single and good-looking profs! That's why they NEED this ban - it's far too easy for the teachers to take advantage of their young admirers. Because THEY are supposed to be there as trusted mentors and teachers, they are supposed to be able to control their lu****l impulses. You are in a very vulnerable position if you're in a sexual relationship with your professor. It can really mess with your head. I'm not saying that you couldn't handle it, but it changes the whole dynamic of what a professor is supposed to be for a student.
My D has a prof in her field who is young and really good-looking. A lot of students are completely nuts about him (including my D ;) ) Fortunately, he got married last summer - to a grad student at a different school. I shudder to think what would have happened to any poor student who might have been involved with him - while I think there were none, I'm sure that was due to HIS actions, not the young women who would have been eager to get involved.
Fortunately, my D still has him as a mentor and friend, and he will probably help her immeasureably when it comes to getting into grad school. THAT'S his job.</p>

14

<p>It's not taking advantage of if I want it. It's the other way around. Women can manipulate the system too.</p>

15

<p>It's not a gender issue, but a power imbalance issue, not unlike bosses who have affairs with those who work for them. Women profs sometimes get involved with male students, too, but it seems to be the female students who are affected most often.<br>
The fact that you're willing doesn't change things. I imagine almost all of the young women who find themselves involved with a prof wanted it. It wouldn't happen otherwise - were not talking rape here. What happens afterward is what I'm concerned about. Once the affair is over, the student, be it male or female, is always the one cast out - even if it's the students choice to call it off, as the prof has a lot to lose, and isn't about to let a student ruin his career or reputation. No longer will that prof be available as a mentor or friend, which is what they're supposed to be. The student will be very lucky if the prof has anything to do with them again. I think you may underestimate the hurt and messiness that often results from these kinds of relationships - and if someone loses out in the end, it's not going to be the professor. It's the same with bosses in the workplace. If you're at a small university, or in a small department, the aftermath can be devastating to a young person, especially if they feel humiliated or rejected.
I'm sure some have anecdotal stories of happy endings, but I don't feel they're the norm. There are profs at universities that have reputations of serial relationships with their students. The girls take it all seriously, and in big colleges, they may never know that they are hardly unique, but instead one of a pattern - the prof is in it for the moment, and knows the student will be moving on. Just because a relationship with a prof is something you might want doesn't mean it's in your best interest.</p>

16

<p>A marriage with one would be nice.</p>

17

<p>I think there's a difference between having a relationship with YOUR professor and another professor at the university. Having a relationship with your professor seems pretty unethical, like others have mentioned. But if you are an adult and you have a relationship with another professor- as long as he/she is not determining your grade- I think it's more on a case-by-case basis.</p>

18

<p>I agree that there are definitely consequences, but I still think it should be left up to the judgement of the people involved. You have to remember that the question concerns a relationship between two consenting adults, not a high school student and her teacher. That would be reason for the school to interfere. A college student, on the other hand, should be able to take responsibility for her own actions.</p>

<p>I do think that a relationship with a professor who determines your grade is unethical, but as I said, I don't think it's anyone's business.</p>

<p>edit: and blualien, I know what you mean about older men!</p>

19

<p>
[quote]
You have to remember that the question concerns a relationship between two consenting adults, not a high school student and her teacher.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I'd even enjoy that kind of relationship. I hate laws.</p>

20

<p>Is that lady that slept with that 6th grade kid in Washington marrying him now or something?</p>