Consensual Amorous Relationships

The Board of Trustees of BGSU approved a Consensual Amorous Relationships Policy that applies to all university employees – including faculty and graduate students: “The university takes seriously its duty to provide a place to study and work free of situations that may be construed as abuse of authority, an inappropriate conflict of interest, preferential treatment, or other unprofessional and unethical conduct. The policy is established in order to avoid such instances.”

1.      Within the University community, supervisors and faculty are not to have supervisory, evaluative, instructional, coaching, advisory, or other relationships with students or employees with whom they have or have had a consensual amorous relationship. This policy applies to graduate students who are working as Graduate Assistants (GA). The GA is not to have relationships with their graduate advisor, dissertation or thesis committee member, or, faculty, or staff involved in the supervision of their GA contract. GAs are also not permitted to develop relationships with students in the classes that they are serving as TA or TI.

2.      If an amorous relationship exists or develops, the faculty or staff member of superior rank must disclose the relationship to his/her immediate supervisor in a timely manner. The supervisor will then take steps to make alternate arrangements affecting one or both parties, to effectively discontinue any supervisory, evaluative, instructional, coaching, advisory, or other formal connections between them. If possible, such arrangements should be made in ways that respect the interest of all involved and will not be prejudicial toward or against either party.

3.      The decision of an immediate supervisor may be appealed by either or both parties to the next higher administrative level. Disclosure is the responsibility of those who engage in, or are about to engage in, amorous relationships within the University community. Failure to abide by this policy may result in disciplinary actions taken against any negligent party. The range of disciplinary actions would depend upon the circumstances and culpability of those involved. Disciplinary actions may include, but are not limited to, a verbal warning, a letter of warning, temporary reassignment, temporary suspension or other measures, as the case may warrant. The imposition of faculty sanctions beyond the written warning should abide by the policy on sanctions contained elsewhere in the Academic Charter.