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Policy concerning relationships between students and staff

1. Introduction

1.1  Positive professional relationships between members of staff and students are central to a student’s educational development and welfare. Christ Church holds the view that positive professional relationships between students and staff are an important part of both academic and social development at Oxford.  This policy seeks to distinguish between healthy and problematic (though lawful) relationships.

1.2  Intimate or close personal relationships between students and staff can cause significant problems as they have the potential for conflicts of interest, imbalance of power and authority, perceived favouritism, and undermining of trust and confidence in the academic process. 

1.3  Being a member of Christ Church staff brings with it certain duties and responsibilities. If a staff member behaves in an unprofessional way towards a student it may have negative consequences for student welfare, and may cause risk to both the staff member themselves and the wider University. This policy broadly concerns consensual relationships - non-consensual behaviour is covered in Annex 7 of this policy.

2. Key Principles

2.1 This policy was written with the following principles in mind:

  1. to identify and manage conflicts of interest and/or
  2. to address the particular asymmetries of power, and mitigate the risk of abuse, or perceptions of abuse of this imbalance of power between staff and students
  3. to protect against reputational damage to Christ Church.

2.2 This policy differs, in some aspects, from the policy of the University, in that it recognises the different roles and relationships which may occur between staff and students in colleges compared to the central University.

3. Policy

3.1  As above, the staff/student policy seeks to protect the welfare of students and ensure that Christ Church acts in the best interests of its staff.  With effect from the policy commencement date, Christ Church: 

a) Prohibits staff from entering into an intimate relationship with a student for whom they have any responsibility; and

b)  Strongly discourages any other close personal relationship between a staff member and a student for whom they have any responsibility that may be considered to transgress the boundaries of professional conduct.  Christ Church requires any such relationships to be declared;          

c)  Requires staff and students to declare to the Senior or Junior Censor, as soon as possible, if a close personal relationship has developed, is developing or appears likely to develop between them and any student for whom they have any responsibility.

3.2  With effect from the policy commencement date, members of staff must not take on, or assume responsibility for a student: 

  • With whom they are in an existing intimate relationship or with whom they previously had such a relationship; or
  • With whom they are in an existing close personal relationship or with whom they previously had such a relationship without first declaring this to the Senior or Junior Censor.  This will enable there to be an assessment of the risk of conflicts of interest and put appropriate protective measures in place if necessary.

3.3  Where, at the policy commencement date, an individual who is employed by Christ Church:

  1. is already in a close personal or intimate relationship with a student for whom they have responsibility; or
     
  2. has previously been in a close personal or intimate relationship with a student (currently enrolled at Christ Church) for whom they have responsibility should declare that relationship to the Senior or Junior Censor. The declaration should be made within two months of the policy commencement date, even if the responsibility for the student has ended.

3.4  If a Christ Church staff member is in an intimate or close personal relationship with a student for whom they do not currently have any form of responsibility, but where there is a reasonable risk that conflicts might arise in future (eg. the student is in the same general subject area, even if currently working in a different academic area) they should disclose the relationship to the Senior or Junior Censor.  The risk of any conflict of interest arising will be considered and appropriate protective measures put in place, as necessary.

3.5  Christ Church sets its own internal policies, but, where a Christ Church staff member is also a member of University staff, the University reserves the right to put protective measures in place, or may take disciplinary action under the staff member’s University contract, even if responsibility for the student arises solely in a College context.  

3.6  Where a Christ Church staff member also works for the University, Christ Church and the University will each consider the appropriateness of sharing information about relationships covered by this policy, and will do so only if it is appropriate and necessary.  In each case Christ Church will review the balance between their duty to their staff and the potential risks to their own student and other students in the wider University before deciding what it is appropriate to share. The final decision on whether to share information, in scenarios such as those described, will be taken by the Dean and Censors, taking advice from the Director of Human Resources. Further guidance on sharing information can be found in Annex 4.

3.7  If this policy is breached unintentionally, for example where a Christ Church staff member is unaware the other party is a student, and had no reasonable basis to suspect it, the Christ Church staff member should inform the Senior or Junior Censor as soon as they become aware of the situation.

3.8  Members of staff who have responsibility for any students must never enter into an intimate relationship with a student or any other person under eighteen years of age or with a student who is an adult at risk, irrespective of whether the member of staff has any responsibility for the student or other person. Staff are reminded that intimate relationships involving students (including applicants or offer-holders) under the age of eighteen where the staff member is in a position of trust or where the student is an adult at risk suffering from certain mental disabilities could fall within the scope of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. If any such cases arise, theCollege Safeguarding Officers must consider whether to notify the police, in addition to taking disciplinary action.

3.9  Even in cases where a Christ Church staff member does not have, and is not likely to have, responsibility for a student, Christ Church staff members are strongly encouraged to be cautious before embarking on an intimate or close personal relationship with any student.  Such relationships can run into difficulties and give rise to formal complaints or concerns which can be rooted in real or perceived inequalities of power, accusations of bias or exploitation and questions about the nature of consent. The risk of complaints or concerns are likely to be heightened where there is a big age difference between the Christ Church staff member and the student, the student is undertaking their first degree following leaving school, and/or the student is more vulnerable because of certain disabilities or health conditions.

4. Guidance on the following matters is given in Annexes:

Additional policies staff must also comply with – Annex 1

Responsibility for a student – Annex 2

Close personal relationships – Annex 3

Making reports, and responsibilities of Heads of Department / Chairs of Faculty Boards who receive reports - Annex 4

Principles for taking protective measures – Annex 5

Advice to students – Annex 6

Non-consensual behaviour – Annex 7

Admissions and recruitment – Annex 8 

Further sources of advice – Annex 9

5. Definitions

5.1  ‘Staff’ includes every individual working within Christ Church under a formal contract of employment or as a casual paid worker or any individual to whom Christ Church offers any of the privileges or facilities normally available to its staff (such as visiting academics). Where graduate students work for Christ Church in a teaching, pastoral, support or supervisory capacity this policy applies to them.  However, they should discuss, with their line manager, any relationship they have entered into with a fellow student. It is not the intention of this policy to prevent students having legitimate relationships with other students but to ensure that the relationship is appropriate in the light of employment within the College. 

5.2  In this policy ‘student’ is to be understood widely. It means any individual currently studying for an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification, or on any course arranged by, or through, the Collegiate University: this includes visiting and exchange students, applicants, and offer-holders.  It includes those who have no contract with Christ Church such as students at other colleges, Visiting Students, Common Award students, associate members of common rooms and students from other Higher Education providers who are completing placements at the Collegiate University.  It covers all students who are registered for a course, even those whose status is suspended, but it does not include former students who have finished their courses (unless they are current applicants or offer-holders for another University course). 

5.3  ’Intimate relationship’ includes sexual or romantic relationships, marriage or life partnerships, regardless of gender, gender identity or sexual orientation, including a brief relationship and one-off occurrences, and whether they are conducted in person and/or online and/or via electronic or any other form of communication.

5.4  'Close personal relationship’ excludes intimate relationships but means a relationship where the nature, content, emotional involvement and/or frequency of interactions and/or communications between a staff member and a student transgress the boundaries of professional conduct, or may be reasonably perceived to do so. Guidance on recognising ‘close personal relationships’ that need to be declared under this policy is at Annex 3.

5.5  ‘Responsibility for a student’ is defined widely and includes any teaching, professional, pastoral or administrative responsibility or authority over a student, whether temporary or permanent, whether formally conferred or on a voluntary basis. It includes but is not limited to lecturing, teaching classes or seminars, overseeing projects or fieldwork, supervising, and setting and/or marking of examinations or other assessments of any type. It also includes acting as a mentor or college advisor, and making decisions over internships or work placements. Guidance on this issue is at Annex 2.

5.6  Both academic and non-academic staff who fail to comply with this policy, or with any arrangements put in place under it (including those made following a declaration of a relationship defined above will be subject to Christ Church’s disciplinary process.

Annexes

  • Annex 1 - Additional policies staff must also comply with

    In addition to complying with this policy staff must also comply with all Christ Church policies:

    Where a staff member’s action places them in breach of this policy and/or in breach of any other applicable Christ Church policy, that staff member may face disciplinary action by Christ Church (and the University if applicable).

  • Annex 2 - Responsibility for a student

    1.  As stated, close personal or intimate relationships between students and staff who have responsibility for them can cause significant problems because of the imbalance of power and authority in the relationship.

    2.  The University prohibits staff from entering into an intimate relationship (as defined at section 3.1 a) of this policy) and strongly discourages any close personal relationship (as defined at section 3.1 b) of this policy) with a student for whom they have any responsibility. “Responsibility for a student” is defined in section 5 of this policy.

    3.  Situations where a staff member will have responsibility for a student will include, but not be limited to, those where:

    a) there is any direct supervisory or teaching relationship (for example between postgraduate students and their supervisor, or tutors and their tutees);

    b) a member of staff has direct or indirect responsibility for that student’s academic studies (for example, assessor of a student’s work);

    c) a member of staff has direct or indirect responsibility for that student’s personal welfare (for example providing welfare services or acting as a mentor or college advisor);

    d) a member of staff has a mentoring role or ongoing administrative responsibility for a student; or

    e) a member of staff is involved in the admission or selection of applicants or offer-holders.

    Guidance on the boundary between ‘support roles’ and ‘responsibility’

    4.  The University recognises that, in many departments, postgraduate students may work closely in teams with other postgraduates (who are also employed as staff) or post­doctoral researchers where the relationship between them is one of ‘support’ not ‘responsibility’. This policy is not intended to restrict these relationships. Some examples are:

    • A more senior DPhil student or a post-doctoral researcher who is a member of staff, assists a more junior DPhil student (or Masters student) to understand a lab process or to safely use equipment or to conduct experiments;
    • DPhil students and post-doctoral researchers in the same research group who are pursuing research in related areas who liaise closely about progress and best practice and/or share accommodation and socialise together;
    • Friendships between DPhil students and post-doctoral researchers in the same department where the staff member has no responsibility for that student’s welfare, teaching, progress, or supervision or for any administrative decisions that affect them.

    Where a member of staff is operating purely in a ‘support’ function with no responsibility for a student, an intimate or close personal relationship might have nothing inappropriate about it. Examples of this at Christ Church may include the Student Wardens.  To ensure that all are adequately protected, staff who may be affected by this policy are strongly encouraged to notify such relationships to the Senior/Junior Censor. This applies in all circumstances where there may be a reasonable risk that conflicts of interest might arise in future, thus allowing for appropriate measures to be considered.

    It should also be recognised that roles change over time and members of staff must be alive to the risk that what may have originally started as a support function could evolve into the staff member acquiring some responsibility for the student.

  • Annex 3 - Close personal relationships

    1.  Christ Church does not seek to discourage positive relationships between staff and students, and it may be appropriate for staff and students for whom they have responsibility to jointly participate in informal, social or leisure activities, providing due regard is given to potential conflicts, professional norms and boundaries and to how any such behaviour might be perceived.

    2.  In all personal and professional relationships with students Christ Church staff must act in a way which safeguards student welfare. This includes being mindful of professional boundaries in order to uphold standards of academic integrity and avoid conflicts of interest. 

    Close personal relationships between students and staff can cause significant issues because of conflicts of interest, imbalances of power and authority, perceived favouritism and undermining of trust and confidence in the academic process. Such relationships can run into difficulties causing negative consequences for student welfare and the staff member can be at risk of formal complaints or concerns.

    3.  While intimate relationships with students for whom staff have responsibility are prohibited, close personal relationships are also strongly discouraged and must be declared.

    4.  It is impossible to cover every potential situation which might involve (or be perceived to involve) transgression of the boundaries of professional conduct. Any relationship which involves (or is perceived to involve) any of the following characteristics will always transgress the boundaries of professional conduct and must be declared:

    1. Any form of dependence, whether emotional, practical, financial or otherwise, and where the student appears dependent on the member of staff or vice versa; or
    2. Favouritism towards any student (which might include, for example, circumstances where a student is treated in a way that is exclusive or exceptional)

    5.  If in doubt the best course is to declare a relationship, or any interaction with a student that is of concern, so that appropriate measures (to protect both the student and the member of staff) can be considered.

  • Annex 4 – Further Action

    Any member of staff or student who has questions about this policy and its application may raise them with the Academic Office.

    Initial action by the Censors
    When the Censors receive a notification of a matter covered by this policy they will:

    • acknowledge the notification, preferably in writing, and signpost any forms of welfare support that may be helpful;
    • so far as possible treat the notification in confidence;
    • consider whether it is necessary to re-organise duties to minimise professional contact between the member of staff and the relevant student;
    • consider whether they should notify anyone else of the relationship and instigate any protective measures, in line with the guidance on confidentiality, set out below;
    • where necessary seek advice from the Dean or HR office. 

    Next steps
    After any appropriate protective measures have been put in place, the Censors should consider whether any further actions might be necessary, taking account of the following:

    • ensuring that any individuals affected are aware of the support available
    • in cases where there is a failure to comply with the policy whether there is any action to be considered under the Disciplinary procedures
    • ensure good record-keeping has been maintained and that information is saved on a staff member’s personnel file
    • ensuring any lessons learnt feed into future practice.

    If one of the Censors is conflicted the other should take the lead on this process; if both are conflicted or might be perceived to be conflicted they should ask for the Censor Theologiae to take on this role.

    Confidentiality
    Concerns raised under this procedure should be treated in confidence as far as it is reasonably possible.

    The Censors, in discussion with the Director of Human Resources, should consider whether it is appropriate to notify the University of a relationship if the staff member has a joint appointment.  This would only be likely if there was a concern relating to the welfare of a student or students and in order to ensure that high standards of academic integrity and professional behaviour are maintained across the collegiate University. 

  • Annex 5 - Principles for taking protective measures

    1. When the Censors arrange any protective measures following a declaration of an intimate or close personal relationship as described in this policy they should:

    1. Ensure the student and staff member are both aware of the disclosure; and
    2. Seek advice from the Director of HR in the first instance, who may in turn seek advice on a confidential basis from University HR; and
    3. Seek to protect the dignity and privacy of all parties, as far as reasonably possible; and
    4. Ensure any measures protect the student’s best interests (in welfare and academic terms) while avoiding a conflict of interest, or grounds of complaint, for the member of staff, as far as reasonably possible. This may include identifying alternative sources of pastoral support for a student or making alternative arrangements for their supervision and/or teaching.

    2.  Usually the protective measures will have the effect of avoiding conflicts of interest by ensuring the staff member ceases to have, or does not acquire, any responsibility for the student. In practice this may involve any of the following:

    1. Consulting with both the member of staff and the student to identify any impact their relationship may have within the University;
    2. Re-organising the staff member’s duties to ensure they are not teaching, supervising, tutoring, mentoring, assessing, examining, providing welfare/pastoral support or participating in administration or management of any activities in which the student is involved;
    3. Taking action to minimise the potential effect of the relationship on other staff or students;
    4. The staff member withdrawing from writing references and recommendations, or being involved in any decision concerning admissions, academic awards/prizes, scholarships, or bursaries for the student in question.

    3.  In no circumstances may a member of staff who has, or has had, an intimate relationship with a student for whom they have responsibility take on, or continue in, any supervisory or tutoring role for them, even if the relationship pre-dated the introduction of this policy and has been declared within two months of the policy commencement date.

    4.  However, sometimes it is difficult to avoid a member of staff having or maintaining some responsibility for a student even though a close personal relationship has arisen and has been declared in accordance with this policy. 

    This may occur, for example, where a student is conducting research in a highly specialised area where no other supervisor is available. However, in such cases, the Head of Department (or equivalent postholder) must always consider appropriate protective measures, including whether a co-supervisor or external supervisor is appropriate to minimise the staff member’s responsibility for that student

  • Annex 6 - Advice to students

    1. Students should note the requirements of this policy for members of staff.
       
    2. If an intimate or close personal relationship has developed contrary to this policy, even if it predates the policy commencement date, the student is encouraged to disclose it to the Censors or to a senior member of the college welfare team.
       
    3. Students should also particularly note the guidance and support available in any cases of non-consensual behaviour at Annex 7, and the further sources of support explained at Annex 10.
       
    4. Messages or other behaviour towards members of staff that could be interpreted as flirtatious or making advances towards an intimate relationship will usually (save in trivial cases3) need to be reported by the members of staff to the Censors and/or HR Team. This may result in protective measures to separate affected parties or minimise the possibility of conflicts of interest, complaints or questions over academic integrity or professional behaviour.
       
    5. Students should note that any behaviour that constitutes harassment (towards a staff member or a fellow student) may be the subject of disciplinary action.
       
    6. Non-exhaustive examples of trivial cases include: a student who spontaneously hugs their supervisor upon being told they have received an academic prize; or a student who submits written work to a supervisor by email/online with the message ‘love xxx’ or similar as they use such informality for most communications; or used the sign-off message in error. Small gifts that are not associated with romantic overtures also come under the category of trivial. 

      Examples of cases which are not trivial and need to be declared include: a student who suggests a ‘date’ or one who sends a gift which suggests overtures towards an intimate relationship (eg. a Valentine’s card/present).

  • Annex 7 - Non-consensual behaviour

    1. If any student finds themselves in receipt of inappropriate behaviour in breach of this policy or involved in a relationship that they do not consider to be wholly consensual, or if they consider that they have been adversely affected by a misuse of power, authority, or conflict of interest, they should make a report to the Censors (as explained at Annex 4). 
       
    2. Students are also encouraged to seek support from the Sexual Harassment and Violence Support Service or their college welfare team. This behaviour may be covered by the Harassment Policy. All students are also encouraged to access the Consent Matters programme materials on the Welfare and Wellbeing section of the University website. 
       
    3. Members of staff who experience advances or other unwelcome behaviour from students should raise the issue with Human Rersources or the Censors. They can also contact the Harassment Advisor Network or their local harassment advisor. Protective measures to separate affected parties or minimise the possibility of inappropriate behaviour or complaints may be necessary and, in serious cases, including where there has been a course of conduct over time, behaviour that constitutes harassment may justify disciplinary action against the student under Statute XI (University Discipline). 

  • Annex 8 - Admissions and recruitment

    1. Staff should note that the definition of student in this policy also applies to any applicant or offer-holder with whom they interact during the admissions process.
       
    2. If an intimate or close personal relationship is pre-existing between any member of staff who has a role in selection of candidates or admission of students to the University and a candidate seeking admission, that member of staff must inform the Censors at the outset of the admissions exercise so steps can be taken to avoid any conflict of interest. The matter will, as far as possible, be handled in a way that respects confidentiality to ensure there is no detriment to the candidate.
       
    3. For further information on conflicts of interest in a student admissions context go to https://compliance.admin.ox.ac.uk/conflicts-of-interest and the website links under the heading ‘Admissions and Recruitment’. 

  • Annex 9 - Further sources of advice

    1. Any member of staff or student who has questions about this policy and its application should discuss them with the Censors or Director of Human Resources in the first instance.
       
    2. Additional support for staff is available from the Human Resources office. Staff who are members of a trade union may also seek advice from them.
       
    3. Additional support for students is available from the Sexual Harassment and Violence Support Service or the college welfare team.