8.5 Professional Conduct

8.5.1 Consensual Relationships
The relationship between educator and student is a special one − professional yet personal, challenging yet constructive, authoritative yet benevolent.

To avoid any appearances of partiality, compromise and/or abuse of power, no College employee may have a romantic or sexual relationship with a current College of Mount Saint Vincent student, even when the relationship is consensual. Such documented behavior will be considered in employment decisions and could lead to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal, at the sole discretion of the College. See Employee Manual, Section 7.0 Other Conditions, Expectations or Prohibitions and the Faculty Handbook, Section 7.4 Termination of Service.

8.5.2 Professional
All College of Mount Saint Vincent faculty and administrators are prohibited from soliciting or agreeing to provide services to students whereby the student will incur additional expense. Such services could include personal counseling, tutoring, legal and academic advice, coaching, or professional services of any kind.

College personnel may recommend that a student seek these services outside the College when, in their professional opinion, the student’s need is beyond the level of service normally provided by the College, and when the service is not offered by a person or an institution with which the College employee is associated. However, such services cannot be mandated as a provision of continued matriculation.

8.5.3 Harassment
The College of Mount Saint Vincent is proud of its commitment to the deep respect for the dignity and integrity of each person. An essential component of that commitment is the College’s repudiation of all threats to dignity and integrity.

Since discrimination of any form violates human relationships, the College has zero tolerance for discriminatory practices based on age, race, creed, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation military or veteran status, marital status, disability, genetic predisposition, or any other categories protected under applicable federal, state and local law. Such documented behavior will be considered in employment decisions and could lead to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal, at the sole discretion of the College. See Employee Manual, Section 7.0Other Conditions, Expectations or Prohibitions and the Faculty Handbook, Section 7.4 Termination of Service.

8.5.4 Sexual Misconduct
The College seeks to foster a safe and healthy environment built on mutual respect and trust. At the foundation of the College’s mission is the recognition of the equal and inviolable dignity and worth of every person. Sexual Misconduct of any kind is a serious violation of these principles and will not be tolerated in any form. Such documented behavior will be considered in employment decisions and could lead to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal, at the sole discretion of the College. See Employee Manual, Section 8.0 Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures and the Faculty Handbook, Section 7.4 Termination of Service.

Approved May 18, 2015