The State Higher Board of Education has approved new guidelines regarding sexual harassment and consensual relationships between students and professors.
The new policy, voted in on Sept. 9, requires campuses within the Oregon University System to set clear definitions of sexual harassment and to establish campus educational programs on the subject. The policy also mandates that resources be available to those who feel they’ve been victimized, as well as requiring an assessment of the “campus climate” every four years to determine if students and staff are satisfied with the policies.
It also governs relationships between campus employees and students with what OUS Director of Communications Diane Saunders called a “power differential.” Take, for example, a graduate student dating a faculty member who supervisors his or her research. Under the new regulation, the staff member must report this relationship to a supervisor, and either the student or faculty member would be reassigned so they would not be working together. The changes must be in place by September 2006.
The statute condemns these relationships but concedes that the state has no control over consensual adult relationships. Interaction between students younger than 18 and professors is still illegal.
Following two high-profile sexual harassment cases at Western Oregon University, Gov. Ted Kulongoski and the board decided that although campuses had individual policies, a statewide plan was necessary.
A review showed that campuses were doing a good job dealing with harassment complaints, Saunders said, but there was a need for better communication.
“The students and faculty and staff weren’t sure where to go to report issues, as there weren’t clear reporting procedures,” Saunders said.
Currently, campus members may report harassment to the Office of Affirmative Action & Equal Opportunity, but there is also help available through the Counseling Center.
However, many students who spoke with the Emerald said that they weren’t sure what they would do if they felt they were victims of sexual harassment.
Others said the campus had adequate support in place to deal with the issue. Greg Crockett, a pre-business administration major, is one of those students.
Gary Welander, one of the WOU professors who was accused of sexual harassment, said that the policy would help teachers who had been wrongfully accused.
According to an article in the Statesman Journal in Salem, Welander claimed he had ended a long-term relationship with his accuser in December 2003.
“It’s their private life, and they shouldn’t have to expose that information ... it’s none of the University’s business to infringe on that,” he said.
“The campus is vulnerable and responsible if there is a case of sexual harassment. If a consensual relationship goes bad and one member feels the other member is harassing them and sues the university system, we are responsible for that,” Saunders said.
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