Relationships between staff and students should be documented or banned, England’s university regulator has suggested.
Student Office (OfS) design plans focus on relationships in which the employee has responsibilities to the student.
The plans are part of a consultation on tackling harassment and sexual misconduct that runs until May.
Universities UK (UUK) said it would work with the OfS on the proposals.
The National Union of Students said students may be reluctant to report staff misconduct for fear it could affect their grades.
The OfS, which regulates universities in England, said harassment and sexual misconduct are “serious problems” in English higher education.
The standards for universities and colleges set in 2021, which are to be followed voluntarily, would have led to “some improvements”.
However, she concluded that practices varied within the sector and reported incidents were not always followed up formally.
The regulator plans to introduce a new requirement for higher education providers that will focus on students and so-called “relevant” staff – meaning any staff who have professional responsibility for a student, e.g. B. Teaching or Evaluating.
In his consultation, he is asking for comments on two possible options:
- The first, which OfS calls its “preferred option”, requires staff to disclose to the university any relationship they have with a student for whom they are responsible; the information given would then be logged in a register
- The second is to completely ban relationships between students and any staff who interact with them professionally
The OfS said universities and colleges should take “appropriate disciplinary action” if an employee fails to comply on either count – including dismissal.
The regulator said it recognized its proposals would “restrict” student and staff autonomy, with OfS chief executive Susan Lapworth stressing that most college staff behaved appropriately towards students.
But she added, “There can be a power imbalance in personal relationships that could be exploited by unscrupulous staff to expose students to harassment or sexual misconduct.”
Some universities, such as UCL and the University of Nottingham, already prohibit relationships between students and the staff who work with them.
Others, like the University of Westminster, offer ‘onlooker training’ recommended by the UUK, aimed at helping students identify problematic situations.
Other plans in the OfS consultation include:
- Requirement for each university or college to publish a document outlining their approach and policies to staff-student relations
- Prohibit the use of non-disclosure agreements that prevent students from speaking about their experiences
The NUS, which represents university and college students across the UK, said four in 10 students have reported experiencing sexual misconduct during their studies – but concluded “the problem is likely [to be] more extensive”.
It was found that there was insufficient support for students who reported staff misconduct.
“Students who experience staff misconduct may be reluctant to come forward for fear of retaliation, which could affect their grades,” it said in a statement – adding that a “cultural shift” was needed that would involves more training.
UUK, which represents 140 universities in the UK, said its members take harassment and sexual misconduct “extremely seriously and have worked hard to meet their commitments in this area”.
“However, we recognize that there is still work to be done,” their statement said.
“We look forward to working with OfS so that these proposals will further strengthen universities’ own efforts to ensure student safety.”
OfS invites anyone interested in higher education or in harassment prevention and support to share their thoughts in its consultation.
A summary of the responses will be published later in 2023.
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