The University of Oxford banned intimate relationships between the members of its staff and students, BBC reported. The decision was taken after reviewing the prior policy of "strongly discouraging" relations, the report said, adding that the institution will begin enforcing the new rule from April 17 this year.
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Additionally, the report said that the institution will continue to inform staff members that they cannot create any personal ties with students which might be judged outside "professional conduct". The policy also entails disciplinary action against anyone who flouts the new rule. Earlier, in the Oxford University relationships between staff members and students were permitted and had to be declared to a line manager.
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In case of an ongoing relation, the BBC reported that the university will handle them by avoiding conflicts of interest which means that no staff member will be assigned any responsibility for a student with whom they had a close or intimate relationship.
{{/usCountry}}In case of an ongoing relation, the BBC reported that the university will handle them by avoiding conflicts of interest which means that no staff member will be assigned any responsibility for a student with whom they had a close or intimate relationship.
{{/usCountry}}The ban follows demands to look into "inappropriate relationships" made by the anti-sexual assault group called It Happens Here, a student union at Oxford University.
Such relationships "raise issues relating to inequalities of power in a relationship, or perceived favouritism, or the undermining of trust in the academic process," the student group said, the Telegraph reported.
Other institutions like University College London and the University of Nottingham also have similar rules in place.