In the fall, 2002, the Dean of the law school at UC Berkeley (Boalt Hall) resigned after having been accused by a student of sexual harassment. According to published reports, the Dean believed that what took place was consensual, while the law student maintained that it had not been consensual. Both agree that sexual intercourse did not take place. The law student was not a student in any of the Dean’s classes and was not a minor.

As a result of the allegations, the Dean resigned his position at Boalt Hall. In the aftermath of his resignation, many faculty at Boalt and numerous other academic institutions around the country lack clear-cut policies to deal with sexual encounters between students and faculty. Where regulations are in place, they vary widely from one institution to another. One university forbids all sexual relationships between professors and undergraduate students; it further prohibited all sexual relationships between professors and graduate students directly under their supervision. Another university bans all such relationships between professors and students under their supervision and requires professors having relationships with students not under their supervision inform their Dean of their existence. Many institutions have no explicit policies on this matter.

Imagine that you are chair of a committee at your college or university that has been charged with the responsibility of developing a policy on faculty-student relationships. Consider the following questions:

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• What principles would guide your deliberations as you develop this policy?
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• Policies are often intended to protect against extremes. What are the extremes to be avoided in this area?
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• What are the various interests that must be taken into consideration in developing this policy?
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• Finally, please state your policy.
<.ul> Please note that this may be done as a group project or as an individual assignment.