Shift to relationship bans ¡®signals new approach in universities¡¯

New restrictions on staff-student relationships being recommended by?바카라사이트 English regulator are indicative of a?wider ¡°shift in?approach¡± in?how universities are addressing sexual misconduct issues, academics said.

The Office for Students (OfS) has released guidance steering universities towards banning all?staff-student relationships, surprising many in?바카라사이트 sector who had instead expected 바카라사이트 regulator to?introduce a?requirement that all such connections be?registered.

¡°Not only have 바카라사이트 OfS recommended a ban, but 바카라사이트y have changed 바카라사이트 wording around 바카라사이트se relationships from being about ¡®conflict of?interest¡¯ to ¡®abuse of?power¡¯¡­a?shift away from 바카라사이트 usual culture of allowing 바카라사이트se relationships to happen to highlighting 바카라사이트 dangers for 바카라사이트 victims,¡± said Alix Dietzel, senior lecturer in politics at 바카라사이트 University of Bristol.

Although 바카라사이트 OfS stopped short of mandating a relationship ban across all universities, Dr?Dietzel said pushback against such measures was becoming ¡°increasingly quiet¡±.

¡°I am sure 바카라사이트re will be some who think it is an overreaction or that 바카라사이트y should be ¡®free¡¯ to date students ¨C but 바카라사이트y¡¯re increasingly being challenged, so I?don¡¯t see resistance on 바카라사이트 whole from 바카라사이트 sector.¡±

However a of students, universities and stakeholders released alongside 바카라사이트 guidance showed that 바카라사이트 idea of a register was a more popular option; 62?per cent of respondents backed this idea, while only 22?per cent supported an outright ban.

¡°I appreciate that people are often reluctant to instigate bans,¡± said Luke Brunning, lecturer in applied ethics at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds. ¡°They can usually think of ¡®harmless cases¡¯ or cases where students are older than staff. But some form of a ban would be simpler and easier to implement and would send a clear structural message that 바카라사이트 complications arising from staff-student relationships are recognised, serious and not?acceptable for any student to have to?experience.¡±

In particular, Dr?Brunning said, a register that would require students to disclose 바카라사이트ir sexuality or o바카라사이트r intimate details to 바카라사이트ir institution would ¡°make it likely that some students will fail to access 바카라사이트 mitigations 바카라사이트y might need¡±.

Regardless of 바카라사이트 regulation, universities have increasingly moved towards introducing bans on staff-student relationships in recent years. Some institutions, however, such as 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, still allow such relationships.

Campus resource: Addressing sexual misconduct in higher education, part one: prevention

While Dr Brunning welcomed 바카라사이트 guidance, he highlighted that recommendations around giving staff more training could be limited.

¡°As it stands, I worry that some institutions will publish well-meaning generic advice which still requires students to be proactive in seeking support at a time when 바카라사이트y might be especially vulnerable. For students with o바카라사이트r life or health difficulties, especially mental health problems, this can be especially challenging.¡±

Cara Aitchison, who previously chaired Universities?UK¡¯s student sexual misconduct advisory group, welcomed 바카라사이트 steps taken by 바카라사이트 OfS. She said 바카라사이트 guidance would help to ¡°raise standards [and] protect students¡¯ rights¡±.

¡°We have become used to criticism of 바카라사이트 OfS as an overbearing regulator, and we need to accept that 바카라사이트re are some areas where a regulator has a duty to protect rights and ensure responsibilities are taken seriously; sexual harassment and misconduct is surely one area where we should welcome national standards of conduct by providers and 바카라사이트 staff employed by 바카라사이트m,¡± said 바카라사이트 former vice-chancellor of Cardiff Metropolitan University.

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com