After being sent to legal counsel once, University Senate voted to send back a policy on consensual sexual relationships.
The legislation explores the legal and ethical risks in a sexual or romantic relationship between a student and instructor. In the legislation, instructors are told to report the relationship to their administrator who would reassign them.
Senators had problems with the language of the legislation and a section that required faculty members report each other's relationships.
"This section is coercive and encourages faculty to rat each other out," said senator Christine Shea, professor of classics.
Shea was not the only one to have problems with the legislation. Student and Campus Life Council Chairperson Alicia Stafford said that SCLC, which brought the bill to the Senate, intended it to be an advisory statement, not a policy.
Policy would make the legislation applied across the university. An advisory statement would warn faculty and staff about the hazards of such relationships, but could not be applied.
"The administration realized it had no policy concerning this situation," Stafford said.
Legal council reviewed the legislation in October, 2001, for language purposes. This is standard when policy involves legal action --+â-èin this case, a possible sexual harassment lawsuit.
Senate Chairman John Emert said there is no way to tell when the legislation will be passed.
"This is an ethics issue," Emert said. "I think SCLC's goal today was to bring out the issues and find the weaknesses."
Another piece of legislation was unanimously passed following the discussion.
Faculty members who take a leave of absence for military training will be paid for 10 work days in a calendar year. Faculty will only be paid for the days missed from work, excluding Saturday and Sunday, although military training occurs on these days. Those in active duty for more than 15 days will be without pay.
According to Professional Affairs Council Chairman Jeffery Green, federal law requires that benefit plans continue at the request of the faculty member on leave.
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