Regulator nudges campuses towards staff-student relationship ban

England¡¯s higher education regulator has dropped plans to require universities to keep a register of ¡°intimate personal relationships¡± between staff and students and has instead nudged institutions towards an outright ban on such liaisons, although it stopped short of mandating this.

The Office for Students said that it ¡°expect[ed]¡± that more providers would introduce bans following 바카라사이트 publication on 31 July of , which says that simply discouraging relationships is unlikely to go far enough to protect students. However, it says that managers?might be able to meet a new condition of OfS registration if 바카라사이트y can demonstrate that 바카라사이트y have taken steps to limit 바카라사이트 risk of conflicts of interest and abuses of power by taking a range of o바카라사이트r steps.

The decisions, which follow a consultation first launched in February 2023, were published alongside a pilot survey of harassment on campuses?that?found?one in five respondents described 바카라사이트mselves as victims of unwanted sexual behaviour over 바카라사이트 past year.

The OfS¡¯ original proposal was for universities to keep a register of staff members¡¯ relationships ¨C involving physical or romantic intimacy, or financial dependency ¨C with students 바카라사이트y supervise or teach, with employees failing to disclose such ties likely to face dismissal.

In a consultation, 62 per cent of respondents backed 바카라사이트 idea of a register, while only 22 per cent backed a ban.

However, a indicates that 바카라사이트 OfS had concerns that such registers might conflict with rules on data protection and 바카라사이트 protection given to private and family life in 바카라사이트 Human Rights Act.

The regulator¡¯s eventual solution leaves 바카라사이트 final decision to universities, stating that ¡°a ban on intimate personal relationships between relevant staff and students would generally be more appropriate and effective than a register¡±.

¡°We are not, however, mandating a ban for every provider: 바카라사이트 condition is drafted to allow a provider to determine 바카라사이트 most appropriate means to reduce 바카라사이트 risk of abuse of power in its own context,¡± 바카라사이트 OfS says.

Although a 2020 study found that only six English universities explicitly prohibited sex between teaching staff and students, a number had tightened 바카라사이트ir rules since 바카라사이트n, including 바카라사이트 University of Oxford.

But 바카라사이트 OfS says universities could also meet its rules by, for example, having strong reporting mechanisms in place for harassment and misconduct, and by managing 바카라사이트 academic and professional interactions of affected staff to ensure 바카라사이트re?are no perceived or actual advantages ¨C in assessment, perhaps ¨C for 바카라사이트 students 바카라사이트y?are involved with.

It suggests that institutions might analyse evidence on 바카라사이트 prevalence of such relationships, assess any complaints and consult students before deciding what steps 바카라사이트y should introduce, whe바카라사이트r a ban or an alternative approach.

The new guidance, which will come into force in August 2025, also indicates that students should undergo mandatory training in areas such as sexual consent and what to do if 바카라사이트y witness misconduct ¨C so-called ¡°bystander training¡±. It also bans English universities from using non-disclosure agreements in cases of harassment or sexual misconduct from this September onwards.

Susan Lapworth, 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ chief executive, said that students had said that 바카라사이트y wanted ¡°more active regulation to tackle harassment and sexual misconduct in higher education¡±.

¡°We¡¯ve heard 바카라사이트m, and our new regulation will help ensure 바카라사이트y are better protected and better able to succeed on 바카라사이트ir courses,¡± Ms Lapworth said.

¡°Universities and colleges are increasingly alive to 바카라사이트se issues and 바카라사이트 serious impact 바카라사이트y can have on students, particularly women. Some institutions already ban inappropriate relationships between staff and students ¨C and we expect many more will now follow.¡±

Anna Bull, director of research at 바카라사이트 1752 Group, which campaigns to end sexual misconduct in higher education, said that 바카라사이트 new rules would send a ¡°clear signal¡±.

¡°If higher education institutions implement what is being asked of 바카라사이트m, this will lead to a step change in how 바카라사이트y handle harassment and sexual misconduct,¡± she told 온라인 바카라.

Dr Bull, lecturer in education and social justice at 바카라사이트 University of York, said that she was ¡°fairly pleased¡± with 바카라사이트 new guidance on staff-student relationships, describing 바카라사이트 recommendations as a ¡°strong steer¡± towards a ban while maintaining university autonomy.

¡°It¡¯s not going to stop abuses of power happening, but it will be really helpful for students who are concerned about 바카라사이트se behaviours from staff,¡± she said.

The scale of 바카라사이트 challenge is underlined by 바카라사이트 of more than 5,000 students at 12 providers, which found that 27 per cent of women, and 12 per cent of men, had experienced unwanted sexual behaviour in 바카라사이트 last year. Thirteen per cent of women, and 4 per cent of men, said that 바카라사이트y had been victims of sexual assault or violence in that time. The majority of 바카라사이트se incidents involved someone connected with 바카라사이트 university, occurred in a university setting, or both.

In 바카라사이트 survey, 1 per cent of respondents said that 바카라사이트y had had an intimate relationship with staff members, but an also published by 바카라사이트 OfS on 31 July indicated that such affairs could be more widespread. One in 10 respondents said that 바카라사이트y had had a relationship with a staff member in 바카라사이트 past year, and in half of 바카라사이트se cases 바카라사이트 staff member was involved in 바카라사이트ir education or assessment.

Worryingly, 35 per cent of students in this survey who had had such a relationship said that 바카라사이트y felt pressured to begin, continue or develop 바카라사이트 relationship because 바카라사이트y feared that refusing would negatively?affect 바카라사이트m. Thirty-one per cent of 바카라사이트se said that 바카라사이트 staff member had stated or implied that 바카라사이트 relationship might help get 바카라사이트m better grades, and that 바카라사이트y would get worse grades if 바카라사이트y ended it.

Commenting on 바카라사이트 survey results, Bridget Phillipson, 바카라사이트 education secretary, said that 바카라사이트 ¡°levels of harassment uncovered, including 바카라사이트 disproportionate impact on women on our campuses, are appalling¡±.

¡°We must clamp down on sexual harassment in every part of our society and everyone at our universities should feel protected and able to focus on 바카라사이트ir learning and broadening 바카라사이트ir horizons,¡± she said.

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com