Staff-student relationship policies

Request 

To whom it may concern,
 

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, or the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, please provide me with the following information about your policy on staff-student relationships.

 
1. Does the university have a relationship policy for staff that covers intimate/sexual/personal relationships with students? If there is no dedicated policy, are staff-student relationships covered by any other university policy?
1.a Please provide a copy of the relevant policy.
1.b When was the policy introduced and last updated?
1.c If you do not have a policy do you plan to introduce one? If so, when?

2. Are staff required to notify the university if they have an intimate, sexual or personal relationship with a student?
2.a If so, what is the notification process (please state if this is covered in the relationship policy)? Who should they report this relationship to at the university?
2.b How are such relationships monitored?

3. Is there a central record of staff-student relationships?
3.a If there is not, at what level is this information held, e.g. line manager, department, faculty?

4. If this is not explicitly covered by the policy, or there is no policy, please state whether there is a ban on staff-student relationships. If there is a ban, is this a blanket ban or limited to a ban on staff having relationships with their own students (i.e. who they teach, mentor or supervise)?
4.a Is there a penalty for staff who fail to declare a relationship with a student?

5. Does the staff-student policy cover both academic and non-academic staff? Or are there different policies for academic and non-academic staff? If there is more than one policy, please provide both policies.

6. If recorded, how many staff declared they were in relationships with students in the following academic years:

2018-19 (to date)
2017-18
2016-17

7. Over the aforementioned period, were any staff disciplined as a result of being in a relationship with a student? If yes, how many?

8. Over the aforementioned period, were any staff suspended or dismissed as a result of being in a relationship with a student? If yes, how many?
 
*          *          *
Please send the requested information via email, preferably in a Word document, to _@_.com

N.B. If you require any clarification, please contact me under your Section 16 duty, or Section 15 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act, to provide advice and assistance BEFORE providing your response. If you intend to invoke an exemption to the relevant FOIA please let me know BEFORE providing your response, so I can clarify this with you and, if appropriate, modify my request.

If the decision is made to withhold some of this data using exemptions in the Data Protection Act, please inform me of that fact and cite the exemptions used.

Please acknowledge receipt of this request, and I look forward to receiving the information within 20 working days. 

Yours faithfully,
 

Response

Dear Mr...,
 
I write further to your request for information dated 24 January 2019.  This request has been handled by the University in accordance with its duties and obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 ("FOIA"). 
 
You requested details of:
 
1. Does the university have a relationship policy for staff that covers intimate/sexual/personal relationships with students? If there is no dedicated policy, are staff-student relationships covered by any other university policy?
1.a Please provide a copy of the relevant policy.
1.b When was the policy introduced and last updated?
1.c If you do not have a policy do you plan to introduce one? If so, when?

2. Are staff required to notify the university if they have an intimate, sexual or personal relationship with a student?
2.a If so, what is the notification process (please state if this is covered in the relationship policy)? Who should they report this relationship to at the university?
2.b How are such relationships monitored?

3. Is there a central record of staff-student relationships?
3.a If there is not, at what level is this information held, e.g. line manager, department, faculty?

4. If this is not explicitly covered by the policy, or there is no policy, please state whether there is a ban on staff-student relationships. If there is a ban, is this a blanket ban or limited to a ban on staff having relationships with their own students (i.e. who they teach, mentor or supervise)?
4.a Is there a penalty for staff who fail to declare a relationship with a student?

5. Does the staff-student policy cover both academic and non-academic staff? Or are there different policies for academic and non-academic staff? If there is more than one policy, please provide both policies.

6. If recorded, how many staff declared they were in relationships with students in the following academic years:

2018-19 (to date)
2017-18
2016-17

7. Over the aforementioned period, were any staff disciplined as a result of being in a relationship with a student? If yes, how many?

8. Over the aforementioned period, were any staff suspended or dismissed as a result of being in a relationship with a student? If yes, how many?
 
The University's response is attached FOIA response 32/1358  and Guidelines .
 
If you are not satisfied with the handling of your request, you may request an internal review.  Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the date of receipt of the response to your original letter by writing to:

Chris Ince
University Secretary
London Metropolitan University
166-220 Holloway Road
London
N7 8DB
 
Email: c.ince@londonmet.ac.uk
 
If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have a right of appeal to the Information Commissioner at:
 
The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
 
Telephone:  0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745
Website:  www.ico.org.uk
 
There is no charge for making an appeal.
 
Kind regards,

Tracy Brathwaite
Information Compliance Officer
University Secretary's Office
London Metropolitan University
166-220 Holloway Road
London N7 8DB
Switchboard: 020 7423 0000