Fraternization Conflict of Interest Policy

With Faculty or Staff: Conflicts of interest, real or perceived, can arise in relationships between members of the Faculty or Staff and persons over whom they have a supervisory or evaluative relationship. No member of the Faculty or Staff is permitted to be in a position where he or she may influence, directly or indirectly, the salary, promotion, work assignments, or other working conditions or evaluate the performance of work, scholarship, or teaching of another member of the Faculty or Staff with whom he or she has a dating or intimate relationship. Real or perceived conflicts of interest can arise even in consensual relationships and jeopardize the impartiality with which members of the Faculty and Staff are expected to carry out their responsibilities. Because of the perceived or real imbalance of power and influence between the parties involved, these situations also pose a real or perceived danger of sexual harassment, as defined by the policies of the College. (See Sexual Harassment Policy in the Faculty Handbook or Staff Handbook ). Persons who are in positions of authority or influence at the College must be especially careful to avoid these conflicts. For example, a conflict would arise for a Staff supervisor who is in a relationship with a member of the Staff they supervise. Likewise, it would be a conflict for two members of the Faculty to be in a dating or intimate relationship where one party serves on the Tenure and Reappointment Committee or as a Division Chair and is, therefore, in a position to review the performance of the other party in the relationship.

Where a conflict of interest arises (or reasonably could arise) between any members of the Faculty or Staff who are in an intimate or dating relationship, they must disclose this conflict of interest (whether actual or reasonably anticipated) to (in the case of Faculty) the Vice President for Academic Affairs, or (in the case of Staff) his or her supervisor. Once the Vice President for Academic Affairs (in the case of Faculty) or a supervisor (in the case of Staff) becomes aware of a conflict as it exists or reasonably could exist, the Vice President or the supervisor may take or recommend action to correct or mitigate the situation, including reassigning professional roles to one or both parties or removing one of the parties from a position of influence over the other party.

It is especially incumbent upon those who are in positions of authority or influence to avoid these conflicts and to disclose them if they arise. Any member of the Faculty or Staff who should disclose his /her own potential conflict under this policy, but fails to do so, will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.