2021-2022 Bulletin: Policies and General Information 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2021-2022 Bulletin: Policies and General Information [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]

Consensual Relationships with Students Policy


The well-being of the learning and teaching community at Claremont Graduate University depends upon the existence of a relationship of trust, respect, and fairness among faculty, staff, and students. Romantic and/or sexual relationships, even if consensual, between faculty members of Claremont Graduate University and students of The Claremont Colleges1 (whether or not faculty currently teach, advise, supervise, coach, or evaluate those students) potentially violate the integrity of the student-teacher relationship, can impair the academic environment through actual or perceived conflicts of interest and bias, and can lead to increased risk of alleged violations of CGU’s Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy. Likewise, staff members at Claremont Graduate University are often called upon to advise, supervise, and evaluate students of the Claremont Colleges with respect to students’ personal and academic lives, a relationship in which objectivity and trust are essential.

Accordingly, faculty and staff of Claremont Graduate University are prohibited from pursuing or engaging in any romantic and/or sexual relationships with students of the Claremont Colleges unless:

  1. the faculty or staff member has disclosed the relationship or potential relationship to (in the case of faculty) the Provost and the Dean of Students or to (in the case of staff) the Vice President/Treasurer and Dean of Students at the earliest opportunity (including prior to pursuing or engaging in that relationship if such disclosure is possible); AND
  2. the faculty or staff member has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the relevant parties outlined in condition 1 that (a) the faculty or staff member is not presently teaching, advising, supervising, coaching, or evaluating the student in any way, (b) the faculty or staff member has never had any such professional responsibility for the student in the past, and (c) there is no reasonable likelihood the faculty or staff member will have any such professional responsibility for the student in the future; AND
  3. the faculty or staff member has further demonstrated to the satisfaction of the relevant parties outlined in condition 1 that the potential relationship presents no reasonable likelihood, presently or in the future, of adversely affecting the educational environment for this or for any other student, or of creating an appearance of bias, conflict of interest, favoritism, unfair academic advantage or disadvantage, or undue access to or restriction from opportunities at the University.

Faculty or staff of Claremont Graduate University who violate this policy will be subject to disciplinary action by the University, up to and including termination of employment. (In the case of faculty, there will be cause for such dismissal if the misconduct is determined to be sufficiently egregious pursuant to the Claremont Graduate University Policy on Faculty Discipline .) This policy is addressed to consensual relationships and activity only. Any romantic and/or sexual relationship, potential relationship, or activity alleged to be non-consensual is subject to the Student, Staff and Faculty Harassment and Discrimination Policy and the disciplinary procedures up to and including dismissal under that policy.

Note: The Claremont Colleges include: Claremont Graduate University, Keck Graduate Institute, Pomona College, Scripps College, Claremont McKenna College, Harvey Mudd College, Pitzer College. Students of The Claremont Colleges include any registered students of the seven colleges.