Prohibited Relationships:
Romantic and/or sexual relationships between individuals when one party has supervisory, teaching, evaluation, advising, coaching or a counseling role constitutes a conflict of interest. Romantic and/or sexual relationships are prohibited whenever a conflict of interest exists and is not remedied. A relationship may continue only when all potential for direct or indirect influence either does not exist or has been removed.
Romantic and/or sexual relationships between supervisors and subordinates are prohibited. No individual involved in a romantic and/or sexual relationship will have direct responsibility for any of the following actions of the other party in the relationship, which include but are not limited to:
- performance evaluation
- any employment decisions including the hiring, promotion, tenure, compensation, assignment of schedules, or teaching assignments,
- implementation of a performance plan, or
- any disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Faculty and staff members are often called upon to work closely with and advise students with respect to student’s personal and professional lives. Objectivity and trust are essential. Employees in such positions cannot perform their duties effectively if they become romantically or sexually involved with students who they are responsible for advising or mentoring. Accordingly, no employee shall have a romantic or sexual relationship, regardless of whether the relationship is consensual, with a student for whom that Staff member has advising, mentoring, evaluation, or student organization management responsibility.
Similarly, no employee shall exercise such responsibility with respect to a student with whom that employee has had a romantic or sexual relationship in the past.
When students are involved, the difference in institutional power and the inherent risk of coercion are so great that no faculty member or coaching staff member shall enter into a romantic, dating, or sexual relationship with a Marietta College student, regardless of whether there is a supervisory or evaluative relationship between them.
Romantic and/or sexual relationships between a coach (Head, assistant, or volunteer) and any student is strictly prohibited.
Romantic and/or sexual relationships between a Vice President/manager/supervisor and a student is strictly prohibited.
Romantic and/or sexual relationships between any member of the Board of Trustees with any employee or student is strictly prohibited.
No employee will enter into a romantic or sexual relationship with any student or employee under the age of 18.