As a Catholic university, Saint Mary’s supports the dignity of the human person and encourages mutual respect in all personal relationships. As an educational institution, it fosters the development of the individual in attaining such values and holds the person accountable when failures occur. Abuse of others or consensual sexual behavior contrary to these standards may result in disciplinary action as severe as expulsion from the university. Saint Mary’s University is opposed to the exploitation of any person. Further, as a university founded in the Catholic tradition, it upholds the positive moral and psychological development of students. In this context, the university does not condone and will not be party to sexual relationships outside of marriage.
Policy on Romantic and Sexual Relationships
Long-established standards of professional ethics discourage personal relationships of a romantic or sexual nature between persons who are in a supervisor-subordinate relationship on campus, especially between faculty or staff personnel and students. No non-academic or personal ties should be allowed to interfere with the academic integrity of the teacher-student relationship or the general integrity of the supervisor-subordinate working relationship at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. With respect to sexual relationships, in particular, what might appear to be consensual, even to the parties involved, may, in fact, not be so due to the inherent differential in authority.
On this basis, the university prohibits any faculty or staff member of the university from engaging in romantic or sexual conduct, or a romantic or sexual relationship with any undergraduate student currently enrolled at the university.
Furthermore, the university prohibits any faculty or staff member of the university from engaging in romantic or sexual conduct, or a romantic or sexual relationship with any graduate student whom the faculty or staff member educates, counsels, supervises or evaluates in any way.
Likewise, the university prohibits any faculty or staff member from engaging in romantic or sexual conduct, or a romantic or sexual relationship with any faculty or staff member whom that person supervises or evaluates in any way.
Exceptions to any of these prohibitions will be considered by the Provost or the EEO Officer on a limited, case-by-case basis. If a faculty or staff member has questions about the application or effect of this policy to an existing or potential relationship, it is the faculty or staff member’s duty to consult with his or her supervisor and/or the Provost and/or the EEO Officer.
If charges of sexual harassment are made, the existence of a romantic or sexual relationship in any of the contexts stated above shall not be a defense in any proceeding unless an exception to the prohibitions herein has been made as outlined above. In addition, the university will not defend a faculty or staff member against sexual harassment charges based upon the existence of a romantic or
sexual relationship unless an exception to the prohibitions herein has been made as outlined above.
Individuals who violate this policy are subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. |
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