Staff  |  Faculty 

Appropriate Behavior Policy - Staff

Harvey Mudd College (HMC) discourages consensual intimate, amorous, or sexual relationships between students and staff, and absolutely prohibits such relationships whenever a staff member incident to any instructional, research, administrative or other HMC employment responsibility is involved in a relationship with a student whom s/he exercises authority over, supervises, or evaluates. Violations of this policy are subject to administrative action.

Further, Section V of HMC’s Discriminatory Harassment Policy, which concerns consensual relationships, states:

“HMC considers it unwise and discourages faculty, and staff from becoming amorously, romantically or sexually involved with students and in certain instances prohibits such relationships. Policies concerning such relationships have been adopted and are included in the Faculty Notebook, Student Handbook and Staff Handbook. HMC also considers it inappropriate for faculty and staff to engage in amorous, romantic or sexual relationships with persons who work under their supervision and who are potentially subject to their judgment concerning personnel actions. Although such relationships may be a matter of mutual consent, the power differentials inherent in such relationships can undermine the integrity of the work environment. Moreover, relationships that begin as consensual, could nonetheless become the subject of a complaint under this Policy should consent be withdrawn by one party.”

March 2004

Appropriate Behavior Policy – Faculty

A sexual relationship between a faculty member and a student for whom the faculty member has, or should reasonably expect to have, academic responsibility, entails a conflict of interest and therefore, a breach of professional integrity.  Accordingly, such relationships are prohibited even if consensual.  "Academic responsibility" includes responsibility for teaching, advising, evaluating, or supervising a student in any aspect of the academic programs of HMC and the other institutions of the Claremont consortium.

October 2003