Publication date
23 July 2019

Original abstract
Consensual sexual relationships (CSR) between faculty and students at universities are a growing issue for administrators. Often times, administrators view these relationships as potential sexual harassment cases given the power disparities that often exist between the parties involved. Therefore, many universities have written policies essentially equating CSRs to sexual harassment. Despite the recent growth of these policies, how faculty compare CSRs and sexual harassment is often overlooked, particularly as it relates to perceived power differentials. The current study examined responses from 166 faculty members to explore these perceptions. Results indicate faculty had varying opinions, depending on previous experience with CSRs and beliefs around power differentials. These findings contribute to previous literature which indicates there is rampant ambiguity and subjectivity when defining and handling CSRs on campus.

Reference
Carrillo, A., Crittenden, C. and Garland, T. (2019). Faculty Perceptions of Consensual Sexual Relationships Between University Faculty and Students. Journal of Academic Ethics. DOI: 10.1007/s10805-019-09337-1.

To request the entire article to the authors
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10805-019-09337-1