Syracuse University has banned sexual and romantic relationships between undergraduate students and employees.

The new policy, announced in a Monday SU News release, also prohibits relationships between employees and graduate students if the employee has a teaching, supervisory, research, departmental, program or advisory connection to the student.

The relationship ban comes about eight months after Chancellor Kent Syverud asked the University Senate to review how SU governs relationships between faculty and undergraduate students. Syverud, in a January 2018 address, cited the #MeToo movement as a motivating factor for the review.

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MORE COVERAGE:

• Senate votes to ban sexual relationships between faculty and undergraduate students
• SU may ban all sexual relationships between faculty and undergraduates
• Chancellor asks University Senate for recommendations on sexual relationship policy

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“Out in the world these last few months there has been a truly remarkable awakening as many step forward to recount their experiences of sexual abuse by those in power or authority over them in workplaces, academic and athletic settings,” Syverud said in a speech last January. “There is a potential for abuse of power in these relationships, as we have witnessed here and we have witnessed it at other universities.”

USen voted to ban sexual relationships between faculty and undergraduate students in April after the months-long review by senators on the Women’s Concerns committee and the Academic Freedom, Tenure and Professional Ethics committee.

The university’s previous policy banned sexual relationships between faculty and undergraduate students if the faculty member advised, supervised or taught the student. Graduate teaching assistants were also banned from having sexual relationships with undergraduate students they taught, advised or supervised.

Published on August 27, 2018 at 4:12 pm

Contact Jordan: jmulle01@syr.edu | @jordanmuller18