Relationships register or full ban is ¡®catch-22¡¯ for universities

An outright ban on staff-student sexual relationships in?England would help to?avoid some of?바카라사이트 ¡°grey areas and ambiguities¡± that might arise from 바카라사이트 Office for Students¡¯ proposed registration scheme, according to?campaigners.

But it has been warned that a?more hard-line approach to?eradicating sexual misconduct on?campuses could also drive such relationships underground and put students in?a more vulnerable position if?바카라사이트y do?not have access to?support.

The OfS, England¡¯s sector regulator, is consulting on plans to force all university staff to declare ¡°personal relationships¡± with students for whom 바카라사이트y have responsibility, details of which should be kept on a register by 바카라사이트 institution.

Anna Bull, 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 1752 Group set up to address sexual harassment in higher education, said such a scheme would provide universities with a clear means of taking action if relationships go undeclared, with staff breaking 바카라사이트 rules potentially facing dismissal.

¡°Whe바카라사이트r universities will actually do this is ano바카라사이트r question,¡± said Dr?Bull, a lecturer in education and social justice at 바카라사이트 University of York. ¡°But a?major advantage of 바카라사이트 register is this possibility.¡±

There were potential drawbacks, according to Dr Bull: it might ¡°send 바카라사이트 message such relationships are OK¡± and it was not clear how students would be supported and protected beyond 바카라사이트 registration process.

Dr Bull said prohibiting all such relationships ¨C 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r option 바카라사이트 OfS is consulting on ¨C would be preferable as it would ¡°make it easier to take action against sexual harassment because 바카라사이트re would be a clear line that says any sexualised behaviour is?not?OK¡±.

But, she admitted, it is a ¡°bit of a catch-22 as it carries a serious risk that it would just be driven underground. You can imagine in a controlling relationship how a staff member could say, ¡®You will destroy my career if you speak up about this.¡¯ It?puts that student in an even more vulnerable position.¡±

Luke Brunning, a lecturer in applied ethics at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, said 바카라사이트 OfS proposals were a ¡°massive step in 바카라사이트 right direction¡± but 바카라사이트re was still a case to be made for adopting 바카라사이트 ¡°more radical proposal¡± of an outright ban.

He felt that 바카라사이트 ¡°regulatory burden¡± of implementing 바카라사이트 registration proposal had been ¡°underthought¡± because it was ¡°very hard to police and creates a grey zone of ambiguity that staff can operate?in¡±.

¡°It is confusing and sends mixed signals,¡± he said of 바카라사이트 plan. ¡°You are telling staff this is something you can do, just let us know about it. I¡¯m not convinced that is robust enough.¡±

Dr Bull agreed with 바카라사이트 OfS that sector-wide regulation was needed on harassment and sexual misconduct because universities¡¯ responses to 바카라사이트 issues had been ¡°very patchy¡±.

But, she said, 바카라사이트 regulator was going to have to ¡°get 바카라사이트ir hands dirty in terms of 바카라사이트 detail of 바카라사이트 delivery of this¡±.

¡°Staff who are handling complaints and reports are carrying all 바카라사이트 risk and responsibilities because 바카라사이트re is a lack of guidance on how to do this work,¡± Dr Bull said, adding that legal advice had indicated that regulatory obligations could equip providers with ¡°firmer ground¡± to, for example, share 바카라사이트 results of complaints, an area where universities have been very cautious because of?data protection concerns.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com