Harvard Bans Sex Between Students and Professors

Now that Harvard University has official banned professors from having sex with undergrads we should keep an eye on how this effects their enrollment...

Feeling like the rules weren’t clear enough, Harvard decided to take another look at their Title IX policy on sexual and gender-based harassment. While there were rules in place about against professor and undergrad student relationships, the rules didn’t plainly state no sex between a student and professor. Or Alison Johnson, a history professor and the person was in charge of the review, put it:

“Faculty can’t have sex with undergraduates at Harvard College. Period. But there are all sorts of other power dynamics that aren’t included,”

Johnson feels a professor’s focus should be on the intellectual development of their students.    

“If you and I are sitting next to each other on a ski lift, and the sparks are flying, and it turns out I’m a professor in the history department, and you’re a senior at the computer science department at Harvard, now we are done,” 

“No more sparks. I ski off to the left, and you ski off to the right.”

Harvard didn’t mention what the punishment might be for a professor or a student who breaks the rules. Of course, not everyone thinks this is the best idea. Associate director of the American Association of University Professors Anita Levy understands the reasoning behind Harvard making the changes, but really isn’t sure it will do much to prevent professors and students from having sex.  

“I’m concerned that placing a blanket prohibition on consensual relationships . . . might lead to, ironically, encouraging them in some way, and making them appear more attractive,”

“They should be approached with great care. It’s a highly charged, ethical issue,” 

“But if they do occur, the faculty member should take every precaution to remove him or herself from having any kind of supervisory role with the student.”

What has the world come to, you can’t bang your professor for a better grade? This isn’t my American. I’m kidding. One could make the argument that you really can’t regulate what two consenting adult want to do, I can understand the need to make sure the rules are clear. College is a strange and wonderful time in a person’s life. It can get messy real fast. Though, I have to say, I look forward to the porn parodies that will come out of this new rule.

Via The Boston Globe