EAST LANSING – Michigan State University faculty are signaling they won't tolerate sexual relationships between teachers and students because they raise serious concerns about consent and coercion.

That's why faculty members on various boards are spearheading the first update in more than 20 years to the university policy governing romantic relationships between instructors and students, which they say lacks the strength and clarity needed to protect students from predatory relationships.

"As a community, I think, we have a much clearer sense of the possibilities of coercive relationships, what consent means," said Mark Waddell, an associate professor who chairs the University Committee on Faculty Affairs.

Waddell and others have endorsed changes that would completely prohibit relationships between faculty or academic staff and undergraduate students. The changes would also limit the ability of graduate teaching assistants to date undergrads and teachers to date graduate students, lifelong students and research assistants.

Proposed changes come in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal as former MSU Dean William Strampel faces charges of sexually assaulting students in his department.

Current policy says instructors shouldn't assume or maintain “educational responsibility” if they start a sexual or romantic relationship with a student.

At just 345 words, it lacks clarity on whether that applies only to undergraduates or to all students, and it also doesn't clearly define "educational responsibility."

Waddell said that lack of clarity was "the main motivator" for proposed changes.

Are there violations of the current policy?

Terry Curry, MSU's associate provost and associate vice president for academic human resources, said the policy, as is, "strongly discourages" sexual relationships between students and instructors.

He said, though the policy applies to all students, there are "not very many" complaints or violations.

"There are 50,000 students at Michigan State and 5,600 or more faculty or academic staff," Curry said. "This is a medium-sized city. There is always a possibility that these things happen on occasion in the context of some other complaint."

But it's rare for faculty to proactively report relationships, he said.

Why did faculty propose these changes?

Changes stemmed from an examination of policies at other Big Ten schools and peer institutions across the country, Waddell and Curry said.

"When we look at what is going on in society, as well as on our campus, and when we look at what peer institutions are doing, we thought it appropriate to review our policy and to bring it into line with what we believe to be best practice and most appropriate," Curry said.

The University of Michigan recently adopted a policy like the one MSU faculty members have endorsed.

Waddell added the provost's office found there aren't many colleges and universities that have "gone so far as to restrict relationships outright."

That means proposed changes put MSU at the "leading edge," Curry said.

Why completely ban sexual and romantic relationships?

As endorsed by faculty, the policy completely prohibits relationships between faculty or academic staff and undergraduate students.

Curry said faculty members spearheading the changes are starting "from the premise that such relationships are inappropriate and shouldn't exist," with few exceptions.

That's because the "power differential is so great that consent becomes really problematic," Waddell said.

The proposed policy goes into depth about why that's important during an introduction that tops 400 words.

Most university policies jump right into the guidelines, Curry said, but this one has "as much preamble as there is policy."

That "preamble" states MSU's commitment to ensure the best learning process for students through fostering a safe learning environment and appropriate relationships between teachers and students.

Romantic and sexual relationships between students and instructors "undermine the integrity of the instructor and student relationship" because they are "fundamentally unequal," the proposed policy states.

What else is different about the proposed policy?

The proposed policy also clarifies what the university sees as appropriate relationships between graduate teaching assistants and undergraduates as well as between instructors and graduate students, lifelong students or research associates.

In those cases, it says relationships should not happen if the instructor or teaching assistant has "educational responsibility" for the student in question. It also says if there's an existing relationship, it should be disclosed.

The proposed changes also clearly define educational responsibility as "power or authority to evaluate, influence, provide, or control aspects related to a student’s education or professional development."

That can mean anything from teaching to mentoring to evaluating research to serving on a student's dissertation committee to recommending for admissions, employment fellowships and awards, among other activities.

The proposed policy also clearly defines “consensual amorous and sexual relationships” and says those relationships don’t have to be physical to violate the policy. Text messages, social media and other communications methods also would apply if the changes get a green light from the Board of Trustees.

Are there exceptions?

The proposed policy does allow for exceptions if an instructor has no educational responsibility for a student.

But those exceptions are rare, Curry said.

For example, if a faculty or staff member's current spouse or partner starts taking a class, they could ask for an exception.

It's up to instructors to ask for exceptions as soon as possible for evaluation.

When would the policy take effect?

The University Council still has to vote whether to recommend the policy changes.

Waddell said the hope is for that to happen at the group's meeting later this month.

The Board of Trustees would then have to approve the changes.

That could happen at the board's meeting in June, Curry said.

The goal is for a new policy to be effective next school year, he said.

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Contact reporter Megan Banta at (517) 377-1261 or mbanta@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @MeganBanta_1.