From the actions adopted by the University of California Board of Regents
on July 17, 2003
C. Revision of Faculty Code of Conduct – Academic Personnel Manual 015:
Faculty-Student Relations Policy
The Committee recommends that The Regents adopt revisions to the Academic Personnel
Manual Section 015, the Faculty Code of Conduct, Part II – Professional Responsibilities,
Ethical Principals, and Unacceptable Faculty Conduct – Section A. Teaching and
Students, as shown below, effective immediately.
deletions shown by strikeout, additions by underscore
The Faculty Code of Conduct
II.A. Teaching and Students
Ethical Principles. “As teachers, the professors encourage the free pursuit
of
learning of their students. They hold before them the best scholarly standards
of
their discipline. Professors demonstrate respect for students as individuals
and
adhere to their proper roles as intellectual guides and counselors. Professors
make every reasonable effort to foster honest academic conduct and to assure
that
their evaluations of students reflects each student’s true merit. They
respect the
confidential nature of the relationship between professor and student. They avoid
any exploitation, harassment, or discriminatory treatment of students. They
acknowledge significant academic or scholarly assistance from them. They
protect their academic freedom.” (AAUP Statement, 1966; Revised, 1987)
In
this section, the term student refers to all individuals under the academic
supervision of faculty.
The integrity of the faculty-student relationship is the foundation of the
University’s educational mission. This relationship vests considerable
trust in the
faculty member, who, in turn, bears authority and accountability as mentor,
educator, and evaluator. The unequal institutional power inherent in this
relationship heightens the vulnerability of the student and the potential for
coercion.
The pedagogical relationship between faculty member and student must
be protected from influences or activities that can interfere with learning
consistent with the goals and ideals of the University. Whenever a faculty
member is responsible for academic supervision of a student, a personal
relationship between them of a romantic or sexual nature, even if consensual,
is
inappropriate. Any such relationship jeopardizes the integrity of the educational
process.
In this section, the term student refers to all individuals under the academic
supervision of faculty.
Types of unacceptable conduct:
1. Failure to meet the responsibilities of instruction, including:
(a) arbitrary denial of access to instruction;
(b) significant intrusion of material unrelated to the course;
(c) significant failure to adhere, without legitimate reason, to the rules
of the faculty in the conduct of courses, to meet class, to keep
office hours, or to hold examinations as scheduled;
(d) evaluation of student work by criteria not directly reflective of
course performance;
(e) undue and unexcused delay in evaluating student work.
2. Discrimination, including harassment, against a student on political
grounds, or for reasons of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ethnic
origin, national origin, ancestry, marital status, medical condition, status
as a covered veteran, or, within the limits imposed by law or University
regulations, because of age or citizenship or for other arbitrary or personal
reasons.
3. Violation of the University policy, including the pertinent guidelines,
applying to nondiscrimination against students on the basis of disability.
4. Use of the position or powers of a faculty member to coerce the judgment
or conscience of a student or to cause harm to a student for arbitrary or
personal reasons.
5. Participating in or deliberately abetting disruption, interference, or
intimidation in the classroom.
6. Entering into a romantic or sexual relationship with any student for whom
a faculty member has, or should reasonably expect to have in the future,
academic responsibility (instructional, evaluative, or supervisory).(1)
7. Exercising academic responsibility (instructional, evaluative, or
supervisory) for any student with whom a faculty member has a romantic
or sexual relationship.
(1)A faculty member should reasonably expect to have in the future
academic responsibility (instructional,
evaluative, or supervisory) for (1) students whose academic program will require
them to enroll in a course taught by
the faculty member, (2) students known to the faculty member to have an interest
in an academic area within the
faculty member’s academic expertise, or (3) any student for whom a faculty
member must have academic
responsibility (instructional, evaluative, or supervisory) in the pursuit of
a degree.