Victoria University of Wellington is the first university in Aotearoa to implement a policy that bans intimate relationships between students and staff.
The new policy now bans any “isolated, intimate, consensual encounters” between students and staff. The policy seems to be implemented as a result of multiple sexual harassment and assault allegations at the University. The Herald obtained information that two formal complaints of sexual harassment or assault were filed by students against staff in 2017, with an additional five more over the next two years. Two other formal reports were received in 2020 and 2021, with an independent investigation in 2021 into a “low level” breach after a student claimed a lecturer she was romantically involved with assaulted her. Students and staff who are currently in a relationship have a month from the policies effect date to declare their relationship. A University of Auckland student, Laura* says “if it’s done effectively it could be a good policy to protect students and staff, and could prevent relationships that might compromise academic integrity”.
Whilst Provost Professor Wendy Larner of the University says that the policy reflects the university’s core values and its commitment to being a values-based university, there are questions as to why the policy needed to be enforced. A hypothetical question raised by one University student, Tania*, pointed out how on a case-by-case basis the rule might not be so beneficial. Tania says “Honestly, I think it’s a bit stupid. Say you’re in your fifth year of your Law and Science conjoint, most people would be around 23/24 years old. But then you’ve got a Master’s student who’s also 23/24 but they’re also a tutor in Anthropology. Technically, they’re staff and a student, but they’re not even in the same faculty as the student so there’s no staff-student privileges. That’s two people who are around the same age and have nothing to do with each other within the academic realms of the university. What’s so wrong about that?”
*Names have been changed for privacy reasons
