HR-2-0 Consensual Relationships Procedure

Should a College employee enter into a consensual relationship with a student or another employee with whom they have an academic or evaluative relationship, the relationship must be disclosed to their supervisor and the appropriate Senior Leadership Team member, one of which will then notify the Chief Human Resources Officer. The College will take the necessary actions to mitigate the impact of the relationship on student(s) and/or employee(s). These actions may include, but are not limited to, workload reduction (with commensurate reduction in pay), and/or reassignment, and/or dismissal if judged to undermine the real or perceived integrity of the supervision provided and the particular trust inherent in the student/faculty or supervisory/subordinate relationship, including impacts on students/employees not involved in the relationship. Failure to disclose the relationship may result in immediate suspension and disciplinary action including dismissal.

Specific prohibitions, include, but are not limited to:

• An employee shall not exercise academic responsibility (instructional, evaluative or supervisory) for any student with whom the employee has a consensual relationship.
• An employee shall not conduct performance evaluations, or make salary decisions, decisions regarding promotion and tenure, or decisions on continuation of employment for a person with whom they have a consensual relationship.
• Consensual relationships are prohibited when effective arrangements to remove the conflict and mitigate adverse effects cannot be made.

The Chief Human Resources Officer is responsible for the implementation, monitoring and execution of the Consensual Relationships Policy. Nothing in the policy precludes any person from filing a formal grievance in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements or with the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).