We are committed to creating a working and learning environment which is safe, collegial and respectful where all can achieve their full potential. We expect everyone on our campuses, including employees, workers, contractors and students to be treated and treat each other with dignity and respect.
We want to promote a work and study environment that is free from relationships that can cause a real or perceived conflict of interest and abuse of power and therefore strongly discourages personal relationships (especially those of a sexual nature) between employees and students.
Whilst we strongly discourage and advise against these types of relationships, we recognise that for various reasons personal relationships between employees and students may exist in some cases. These guidelines are intended to help individuals avoid behaving in a way that may constitute or be construed as harassment, bias or an abuse of power. They also aim to protect individuals against accusations of bias, preferential or unfair treatment where such a relationship exists, has existed or may develop.
The guidelines aim to ensure that there are safeguards and processes in pace to prevent abuses of power and sexual misconduct; set out our expectations and make clear what steps we will take should incidents be reported. The guidelines also apply to situations where, for any reason, a hostile or negative relationship has developed.
Personal relationships can also exist between employees and in certain situations can be a conflict of interest or risk potential abuse of power, especially if one party is in a more senior role to the other.
Whilst the requirement to declare is not the same as when a personal relationship exists between an employee and student member, personal relationships between employees must be declared where one party has line management or supervisory responsibility of the other or where they may be involved in certain decisions and processes such recruitment, selection, performance, progression, development promotion or any other decision, which could be perceived to give unfair advantage or disadvantage to the person with whom they have or have had such a relationship.
This should also protect individuals from accusations of bias and abuse of power. It is the responsibility of the more senior employee in the relationship to disclose this information to their line manager or another senior appropriate senior person for example; Head of Department, Head of Section, Executive Dean or Director, Registrar and Secretary.
We have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of harassment including those of a sexual nature and bullying. Any act that involves the abuse of a position of authority or trust will be regarded as very serious and could constitute gross misconduct.