Minutes of a Regular Meeting, June 22-23, 2004 - Digital Collections

REGENTS’ POLICY MANUALSECTION 3—GENERAL POLICIESNorman CampusHealth Sciences Center CampusRoom 102, Evans HallRoom 113, Service Center Building325-3546 271-2110(RM 9-27-95, p. 24621; 1-14-97, p. 25260 and 25263; 1-27-2004, p. 28924)3.2.6—DISCRIMINATION POLICY(FOR OTHER THAN SEXUAL OR RACIAL/ETHNIC HARASSMENT)The University has a policy of internal adjudication in matters relating to alleged discrimination. Anyfaculty member, staff member, or student, including without restriction, those on temporary or part-timestatus, who believes that he or she has been discriminated or retaliated against should file a complaintunder the Grievance Procedure For Equal Opportunity.Any attempt to penalize or retaliate against a person for filing a complaint or participating in theinvestigation of a complaint of discrimination and/or harassment will be treated as a separate and distinctviolation of this policy.To contact the University Office of Equal Opportunity:Norman CampusHealth Sciences Center CampusRoom 102, Evans Hall Room 113, Service Center Building325-3546 271-2110(RM, 1-14-97, p. 25263; 1-27-2004, p. 28924)3.2.7—CONSENSUAL SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS POLICYRATIONALEThe University’s educational mission is promoted by professionalism in faculty-student relationships.Professionalism is fostered by an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect. Actions of faculty members andstudents that harm this atmosphere undermine professionalism and hinder fulfillment of the University’seducational mission. Trust and respect are diminished when those in positions of authority abuse, orappear to abuse, their power. Those who abuse, or appear to abuse, their power in such a context violatetheir duty to the University community.Faculty members exercise power over students, whether in giving them praise or criticism, evaluatingthem, making recommendations for further studies or their future employment, or conferring any otherbenefits on them. Amorous relationships between faculty members and students are wrong when thefaculty member has professional responsibility for the student. Such situations greatly increase thechances that the faculty member will abuse his or her power and sexually exploit the student. Voluntaryconsent by the student in such a relationship is suspect, given the fundamentally asymmetric nature of therelationship. Moreover, other students and faculty may be affected by such unprofessional behaviorbecause it places the faculty member in a position to favor or advance one student’s interest at theTHE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA 189