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Relationship Restrictions

By  Colleen Flaherty

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A number of colleges and universities banned faculty-undergraduate dating or otherwise shored up their consensual relationship policies after the Education Department published a reminder letter about sexual harassment liability, in 2011. Other institutions had adopted such policies earlier.

Now, in the era of Me Too, another wave of institutions has moved to restrict consensual relationships between students and their professors. And while many involved in or affected by these decisions support them as preventing potential abuse, others remain critical of policing connections between consenting adults.

“There’s still wide variation in terms of policies,” said Tara Richards, an associate professor of criminal justice at the University of Baltimore. “But more and more universities are moving toward policies that go beyond a sentence or two discouraging these relationships, to actually having thoughtful conversations among stakeholder groups -- faculty, students government and administrators -- discussing what’s going to work.” 

Most successfully, Richards said, institutions have “proactive” discussions, taking into account their own student populations, norms and shared governance structures. Less successfully, she said, institutions change their polices in response to incidents on their campuses or elsewhere, “out of fear of liability.”

Richards co-wrote a 2014 study of 55 institutions’ student-faculty dating policies saying that consensual relationships were viewed in previous generations as "private matters” and ignored by administrators, except where harassment was alleged. Fear of legal liability and increasing acknowledgement of academic power structures changed that, leading institutions to adopt a mix of policies regarding these relationships. That mix led to subsequent “confusion” about community norms, however, according to the study.

At the time, within Richards's sample, only Yale University banned undergraduate-faculty dating. But as institutions increasingly came under scrutiny for their enforcement (or lack thereof) of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits gender-based discrimination in education, other campuses followed suit. In one example, Northwestern University -- which saw a case  of alleged assault involving a professor and an undergraduate (and, later, a graduate student) -- banned dating all undergraduates in 2014. Its rationale for doing so, stated in the policy itself, sums up much of the thinking behind blanket bans on undergraduate-faculty dating. 

“When undergraduate students are involved,” the policy says, “the difference in institutional power and the inherent risk of coercion are so great that no faculty member or coaching staff member shall enter into a romantic, dating, or sexual relationship with a Northwestern undergraduate student, regardless of whether there is a supervisory or evaluative relationship between them.”

Northwestern’s policy on graduate student-faculty dating restricting relationships where an evaluative authority exists reflects a Title IX-era trend, as well. Northwestern previously banned relationships between graduate students and faculty supervisors. But the new policy said that relationships between a faculty member and a graduate or professional student in the same department or program must be disclosed to the department chair, to manage the potential conflict of interest. 

There is no hardfast rule about these policies. Richards’s institution, Baltimore -- a traditionally non-traditional student-serving institution -- has no policy against student-faculty dating, for instance. Somewhere in the middle of the policy mix, the University of Wisconsin System in 2016 banned faculty-student dating (graduate or undergraduate) where an advisory or supervisory relationship, or the potential for one, exists. Pre-existing relationships must be reported. The University of California System’s policy against professors dating the students they supervise academically has been in place since 2003. In terms of trends however, there was movement toward restricting student-faculty relationships in what might be called the Title IX era, and there’s new movement now. 

New Wave of Restrictions

In the spring semester alone, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia and Duke Universities adopted prohibitory policies against dating undergraduates across the board, not only where a supervisory relationship exists. Syracuse University is considering something similar.

Just this week, Cornell University President Martha E. Pollack announced that that she’d largely accepted campus input on student-faculty relationships, and that the institution was banning sexual or romantic relationships between faculty and undergraduates altogether. Romantic relationships between professors and graduate or professional students “whenever the faculty member exercises direct academic authority over the student or is likely to in the foreseeable future,” also are prohibited. The latter policy was a compromise, following debate over an ealier version that would have banned dating between graduate students and professors in the same program. 

Additionally, “Any member of the Cornell community who has, or has had, a sexual or romantic relationship with a current student or current postgraduate is prohibited from exercising academic or professional authority over that student or postgraduate.” 

Most sweepingly,  Berklee  College of Music -- which has faced recent  allegations  that it tolerates a culture of harassment -- adopted a ban on all romantic or sexual relationships between employees and students, graduate or undergraduate, this month. Such a strict policy remains rare, since even other relatively restrictive codes allow for graduate students to date professors where no evaluative authority exits.

Apart from blanket bans on dating undergraduates, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst for the first time this spring banned student-faculty dating where an advisory relationship exists. (A standing policy at Amherst College merely “discourages” these relationships and requires that professors remove themselves from any advisory role.)

Similar to Richards, Erin Buzuvis, a professor of law at Western New England University and moderator of the Title IX Blog, said that policies probably depend on a student populations. 

“I can imagine some institutions, particularly large publics with age-diverse student bodies, permitting consensual relationships -- especially pre-existing relationships -- between faculty and undergraduates with whom they have no contact,” she said, noting that a friend recently went back to college to to take care of her university employee husband's tuition remission. In a blanket ban scenario, that wouldn't be possible, she said, even if they had no contact on campus. So a policy such as UMass’s make sense to Buzuvis.

“There should be a professional norm in teaching just like there is in other professions, that regards dating as incompatible with the objectives of the profession,” she said. “Just like a counselor-client relationship is compromised by the introduction of a romantic component, so too is a faculty-student relationship.” 

Still, faculty-student dating constraints remain controversial. Richards said that they’re notoriously difficult to enforce, since they typically rely on the couples’ disclosure. It's hard to get the details right: outstanding faculty questions about what a proposed policy on consensual relationships at DePaul University really means delayed a vote on it. Bamshad Mobasher, professor of computing and president of DePaul's Faculty Council, said council members had questions about what constitutes a “romantic” relationship and the potential impact of some policy language on  "opportunity hires" involving spouses of faculty candidates. 

Other legal experts say it is costly — up to $250,000, on average — to get rid of a faculty member found to have violated a policy, whether in quiet agreements or litigation. Some raise ethical arguments about agency and consent, even calling blanket bans anti-feminist.

Neil McArthur, a professor of applied philosophy at the University of Manitoba wrote a paper  last year arguing against blanket bans (while urging caution to those who engage in such relationships), “because adults have a fundamental right to engage in intimate relationships without interference,” for instance.

Brett Sokolow, who advises campuses on security and legal issues as executive director of the Association for Title IX Administrators, also opposes blanket relationship bans.

“Quid pro quo harassment is already prohibited on every college campus" and behaviors “that cross the line are already addressable under existing policies,” he said. "Perhaps there is some value in consensual relationship policies for their ability to protect the institution, but the Draconian rules being implemented on many campuses now are both infantilizing and over-broad.”

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Yale Daily News

Forbidden love: Faculty Senate proposes ban on certain romantic relationships between professors and grad students

In a new report, the FAS-SEAS Senate proposed that Yale ban relationships between faculty and graduate students in the same department, citing “career-impacting dangers.”

Staff Reporter

Vaibhav Sharma, Staff Photographer

Yale’s Faculty Senate is recommending that the University forbid relationships between faculty and graduate students in the same department. 

Last week, the FAS-SEAS diversity committee published a five-page report containing 14 specific recommendations for Yale to update its policy on teacher-student relations.

“ It came up through the Diversity Committee, which started talking about this over a year ago, perhaps two,” Meg Urry, a professor of physics and astronomy who chairs the Senate, wrote to the News. “I was one of the people who brought it up, having seen too many problems across astronomy and astrophysics nationally. That made it clear that we need a clear policy where dating and advising/mentoring were not interchangeable. ”

Currently, teachers are only banned from engaging in romantic relationships with graduate students whom they are actively teaching or supervising, or may “reasonably become responsible for teaching.”

But the Senate asserts that this policy is too narrow in scope.

“Any relationship within a department or between members of closely related departments will disrupt the educational environment for all students and will expose faculty and students to career-impacting dangers,” the report states.

The report also notes that some members of the senate would like the policy to “apply across the board,” regardless of department. But, other members recognized that “living in a small town like New Haven can make social life difficult for young faculty,” who are often close in age to graduate students.

The FAS-SEAS Senate is a body of 25 elected faculty members who serve in an advisory role to the University administration. The report, though unanimously approved by the Senate, is purely a recommendation and will need to be addressed by the University provost, Scott Strobel, in order to become school policy.

“It’s a good first step, we raised the issue, and we hope the provost will take it from here,” Urry said.

Urry noted that Strobel would likely need to set up his own committee with appropriate representation from across the University in order to move forward on any recommendations.

Strobel confirmed that the report is in the review process and that he will discuss the Senate’s recommendations with the appropriate faculty deans. 

“ I am grateful for and share the FAS-SEAS Faculty Senate’s commitment to protect the integrity of the teacher-student relationship and to maintain a safe and supportive environment for graduate students,” he wrote.

He also noted that it will be important to review any recommendations alongside the new Title IX regulations expected to be released by the Department of Education this spring.

Another key senate recommendation is that any faculty-graduate student relationship that emerges must be “declared immediately” to the University’s Title IX coordinator. Any pre-existing relationships at the time the policy goes into effect must be immediately reported, too.

Failure to disclose a relationship may result in “sanctions,” specifically against the involved faculty member, who the report notes has the “primary responsibility for complying with this policy” by “virtue of their seniority.”

The proposals are intended to protect all parties, including those in the relationship as well as their colleagues, “from potential unfairness or retaliation” that may emerge from the complications of a relationship’s end.

In 2013, the University suspended John Darnell, a professor of Egyptology, for a relationship he sustained with one of his students. He resigned at the time, but he later returned to Yale and still teaches in the department. 

The former student, Colleen Manassa — now Colleen Darnell — was Darnell’s student as both an undergraduate and graduate student; they are now married.

Urry told the News, however, that the Senate’s proposal does not stem from any rise in incidents recently, noting that “even one case is too many.” 

“A colleague described something he heard another faculty member say, ‘I can’t date my students but I can date your students.’ Not good.” Urry wrote.

Yale banned romantic relationships between faculty members and any undergraduate students they teach in 1997 , and it extended the policy’s reach to all undergraduate students in 2010 . Yale took this action before many peer universities, including Harvard and Stanford.

According to the report, female graduate students are particularly vulnerable to the complications that may arise from faculty-student relationships, given that the fraction of female graduate students is far higher than that of female faculty. 

The report also discusses the impact of faculty-graduate student relationships on other students.

“Even successful relationships have a disturbing effect on the student’s classmates, who experience the department differently because their classmate is dating their professor,” it says. “That is unfair to everyone.”

The FAS-SEAS senate was established in the 2015-2016 school year.

PhD student professor relationships – your questions answered!

One of the most important relationships for a PhD student is with their supervising professor or professors.

In my case, I had three PhD supervisors in different fields which can be very difficult to manage. They hadn’t worked with each other before so there were lots of disagreements to manage.

Your supervising professor(s) is the person or people who guides them through your academic journey, helps them navigate the research process, and provides valuable mentorship.

But what should you expect from this relationship? Are there any boundaries you should be aware of? As a PhD student, how can you make the most of this relationship?

In this article, we’ll explore these questions and more.

Whether you’re just starting out on your PhD journey or are already well into it, this article will provide some valuable insights and advice that can help you build a strong, productive relationship with your professor.

What does it mean for a professor to take on someone as their PhD student?

When a professor takes on someone as their PhD student, it means that they are willing to supervise and guide them in their research endeavors.

Professors rely on PhD students to perform the grunt work of their research and in return they should offer guidance and mentoring to allow the person to fulfil their own career goals which may consist of becoming an independent researcher themselves, transitioning to industry, or other outcomes.

In an ideal world, the professor becomes a mentor to the student, helping them to develop their research skills, offering advice and feedback on their work, and ultimately helping them to successfully complete their PhD degree.

This is a significant responsibility for the professor, as they are committing their time and resources to the student’s academic growth and development.

However, some professors do not see this as a responsibility and rather a way of getting cheap labour to perform their research.

For the student, being taken on by a professor as their PhD student is a great opportunity to learn from an experienced and knowledgeable expert in their field, and to gain invaluable experience in conducting research and contributing to the academic community.

This relationship is very important and making sure that you are very communicative with your supervisor will ensure that everything goes smoothly.

The number one cause of a bad supervisor/student relationship is a breakdown of communication and unfulfilled expectations.

What benefits do faculty members get by supervising PhD and grad students?

Supervising PhD students offers numerous benefits to faculty members.

• Some faculties offer a grant per research student – so you are literally worth money to the research income of the professor.
• They get another member of their team to explore their research and create normal information that they can publish in academic and peer-reviewed journals.
• It provides an opportunity for them to contribute to the growth of the academic community by fostering new research and contributing to the advancement of knowledge.
• it offers the chance to shape future researchers in their field by mentoring and guiding them through the research process. This enhances the intellectual capacity of the department and builds stronger institutional networks.
• it also creates an opportunity for collaboration. In an ideal world faculty members and PhD students work together to conduct research and publish academic papers.
• Supervising PhD students can also help faculty members develop their professional profile, as they are able to publish jointly with their students, which will lead to greater visibility and opportunities to secure funding for future research projects.

It could be said that supervising PhD students is beneficial both for the faculty member, the department and the academic community as a whole.

Some of the more critical PhD students see the relationship as imbalanced and most of the academic kudos are passed on to the supervisor.

This is because they are in a permanent academic position while their students and postdocs are often in temporary positions.

Is it bad for professors / supervisors / advisors to have their PhD students drop out?

It is not ideal for professors or supervisors to have their PhD students drop out.

The table below highlights the effect of both the professor and the PhD student

This can be a setback for both the student and the professor. The professor can lose a lot of momentum if a PhD student leaves their group.

One of the biggest issues is that PhD supervisors often loose a certain skill base that is hard to regain by training and other student.

The professor may also lose funding opportunities, as PhD students are often funded by grants.

A high dropout rate can reflect poorly on the professor’s ability to mentor and guide students through their PhD program. Often seen as a red flag by other PhD students.

However, sometimes a student may realize that a PhD program is not the right fit for them, and it may be best for them to drop out and pursue a different path.

It is important for professors to support their students in these decisions and provide guidance to help them succeed in their chosen career path.

How should I address a PhD student professor in an email?

It can be confusing to work out what to call a PhD student if they are also your professor

When addressing a PhD student professor in an email, it is important to use proper etiquette and show respect for their academic achievements.

Start the email with a polite salutation, such as “Dear Professor [Last Name],” or “Hello Dr. [Last Name].”

Only use the doctor title if they have achieved and completed a PhD.

This is a sign of professionalism that reflects your understanding of the academic hierarchy.

It is also important to keep in mind that PhD students have not yet achieved the same level of academic authority as a fully-tenured professor.

In my experience, most PhD students acting as a professor and teaching courses are happy for them to call them by their first name.

If you are in doubt you should ask the teacher of the course directly.

How do you refer to a PhD student in an email? Graduate student etiquite

When referring to a PhD student in an email, it’s important to be respectful and use appropriate language.

In the greeting of the email, you can use “Dear [Mr./Ms./Dr.] [Last Name]” or “Hello [First Name]”.

Once you have built up a relationship with the student you can start using their first name if they have initiated it.

In my experience, PhD students tend to prefer less formalities.

Being respectful and professional in your email communication with PhD students is essential for building positive relationships and fostering a productive academic community.

How do you write the title of a PhD candidate?

When writing the title of a PhD candidate, it is appropriate to use the title “PhD Candidate” or “Doctoral Candidate” followed by their name.

For example, one could write “PhD Candidate Sarah Smith” or “Doctoral Candidate John Doe”.

It is important to note that the title “Dr.” should not be used until the candidate has successfully defended their dissertation and obtained their PhD.

When in doubt, it is best to refer to the candidate by their full name without a title until they have obtained their degree.

Wrapping up

The relationship between a PhD student and their supervising professor is crucial for a successful academic journey.

Professors play an essential role in guiding students through the research process and providing valuable mentorship.

A high dropout rate can negatively impact both the professor and the PhD student.

In this blog post, we discussed the importance of communication and understanding expectations to ensure a productive supervisor-student relationship.

By understanding these factors, PhD students and professors can work together to create a strong, supportive relationship that benefits both parties and contributes to academic success.

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

Thank you for visiting Academia Insider.

We are here to help you navigate Academia as painlessly as possible. We are supported by our readers and by visiting you are helping us earn a small amount through ads and affiliate revenue - Thank you!

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How To Handle A Crush On Someone Off-Limits, Like Your RA, TA, Or Professor

With shows like Pretty Little Liars and Friends normalizing professor-student relationships, it isn't quite clear whether or not these kinds of connections are actually ethically OK. Wondering if you can you date your RA, TA, or professor ? This isn't a question you should feel ashamed ask, especially if you spend a lot of quality time with them. Between office hours, dorm meetings, and recitation, it's perfectly natural to feel somewhat bonded to these authority figures.

In Pretty Little Liars , 16-year-old Aria Montgomery meets Ezra Fitz in a bar. At the time, Fitz didn't know Montgomery would become his high school English student, but he continued to pursue a relationship with her after he found out. In Friends , Ross Geller is a New York University professor, who knowingly dates his student Elizabeth. Throughout both series, the inappropriate nature of these relationships is frowned upon, but not condemned. In real life, however, the consequences of engaging in a relationship with a student can carry more weight.

If an authority figure dates someone that is obligated to answer to them , the complex power dynamics at play are tough to navigate. "The biggest issue here is hierarchy," life coach Nina Rubin (no relation) tells Elite Daily. "The student may have a crush on the authority figure and the feelings can be mutual — but because the person in a higher role has more power, the student can never be considered an equal."

For instance, if you date or hook up with your professor because you're attracted to them, it's possible that you subconsciously feel like you have to continue dating them or having a physical relationship for the sake of your grade, academic reputation, and even career. Additionally, there can be mega-consequences: "Authority figures can be suspended or fired, [be the subject of] lawsuits, media campaigns, [and] more #MeToo articles," Rubin says. "The [student] may get a bad reputation as well, [and] could also feel like dropping out of school or needing to transfer."

Beyond the fact that the romantic relationship could result in tainting the reputation of both people involved, there's something even more grave to consider: If the student is younger than 17 years old, the relationship could be illegal in the eyes of the law.

"Statutory rape is a real crime with serious consequences," April Masini, health and fitness advocate and author , tells Elite Daily. "When a minor-aged college student dates and has sex with an adult who is a college professor or staff person, there are legal ramifications."

One campus that recently dealt with its own professor-student relationship controversy is New York University. A faculty member allegedly had a relationship with a graduate student . On the University's website , the school acknowledges that the power dynamics of these relationships can be imbalanced.

"Entering into a sexual, dating, or romantic relationship ('Intimate Relationship') when one individual has power or authority over the other may compromise freely given consent, put the academic and professional development of the individuals at risk, and seriously undermine the foundation of trust, fairness and integrity that is essential to NYU’s academic mission," the NYU Policy on Consensual Intimate Relationship reads.

But not all of these relationships are necessarily so black and white. For instance, if you and your TA really connect, are both of legal age and the attraction is consensual, it may be appropriate for you two to date after the class concludes. "Sometimes these rules are different for professors than they are for RAs or TAs who are often students themselves," Masini says.

That's actually how my parents met — my dad was my mom's TA in medical school, and when their class was over and my dad had began his residency, they started dating. Additionally, founder of relationship coaching company Maze of Love Chris Armstrong says that if the authority figure is single and doesn't have an academic relationship with the student anymore, the relationship may be less taboo.

But entering a relationship with an RA, TA, or professor isn't easy. If you continue to date, you'll have to address the imbalanced power dynamic. This could involve lying to keep your relationship a secret — especially if the truth could get either of you in trouble with the school.

When former NYU student Sasha*, 24, lived in a dorm, her RA knocked on her door one night while she was listening to Beyoncé. She answered it, mistaking it for her cookie delivery. He smiled at her. "Looking back on it he was so obviously into me," she tells Elite Daily. He asked her to turn down the volume. Sasha said she jokingly told him she was upset he wasn't her cookie delivery.

"A few weeks later, he left a sticky note on my door asking me to be his Valentine," Sasha says. "I was so self conscious at the time that I convinced myself he wasn’t into me, and even though the sticky note had his number on it, I just sent him a Facebook message saying 'thanks for the note.'"

In this circumstance, Sasha's uncertainty about their connection played a key factor in her decision not to pursue a relationship with her RA. But furthermore, she felt it wasn't right.

If you find yourself crushing on a professor, TA, or RA in college, check out your university's specific policy when it comes to these relationships. After all, you may find yourself drawn to these seemingly illicit relationships because of the allure of it's 'off-limits' nature — so better to be safe than sorry.

Additionally, Masini says these kind of "forbidden" relationships may have a fighting chance once you've graduated, or if your RA or TA is no longer in a position where they can wield power over you.

Fully equip yourself with knowledge, and then proceed however you see fit. Know that there's a chance it could work out – hey, it did for my parents! Love works in mysterious ways — just make sure they're legal first!

* Name has been changed at the source's request for privacy concerns.

Check out the entire Gen Why series and other videos on Facebook and the Bustle app across Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV.

Check out the “Best of Elite Daily” stream in the Bustle App for more stories just like this!

Students dating lecturers: Why, how, and what are the consequences?

A quick Google of “ dating my lecturer ” brings up millions of results. And it’s no surprise; as long as there have been people in power, there have been those attracted to them.

Even with all the risks associated with dating a lecturer, students all over the world still find themselves doing it. Whether it’s the thrill, the money, the grades, or genuine love, relationships blossom between university students and their professors for many reasons.

Why would a student date their professor?

In an article for  The Daily Monitor ,  numerous students in Uganda explained their unique reasons for entering into a relationship with their professor.

Student Samurah Namuggabe claimed it is not always love which drives students to become involved with their lecturers, but fear of negative consequences if they reject their advances.

The lecturer I fancy just waved at me from across the corridor. My existence has been acknowledged 😎 — premium beans (@premiumheth) February 2, 2018

She offers money as another explanation. Students “all come from different backgrounds, but because [of] the competition in terms of having a smartphone, clothes and shoes, some students will prefer to go on a date with lecturers so as to keep up with the standards of living”, the final year Kyambogo University  student said.

The hope or promise of better grades can be an incentive for some students.

One Ugandan student told  The Campus Times  they would be “proud” to date their lecturer but would “keep it secret because my classmates will know how I pass coursework”.

For many students, it is the thrill associated with chasing – or being chased by – someone who is “off limits” and often older, wiser and richer than themselves.

In Uganda, relationships between lecturers and students are fairly common. In the Western world, however, these relationships are less openly talked about but often form on-campus gossip as well as risky portrayals on television.

The not-so-desirable consequences

In many countries, it is illegal for a teacher to date or have any sexual contact with a student, no matter their age. However, in the majority of countries, it is not illegal once the student reaches university level so long as they are of consenting age in that country.

While legal, it is hardly professional for lecturers to date students. Lecturers are in a position of power and must maintain professional conduct and face losing their jobs due to a conflict of interest.

In the United Kingdom, the majority of universities have guidelines on navigating student-lecturer relationships. Professors are required to alert the university should a relationship develop between them and a student to ensure no unfair advantage is given to the student.

Universities are unlikely to look favourably upon the relationship, with protocol in place to minimise the professional’s contact with the student in an academic context.

https://twitter.com/amycharlton98/status/931544396553707520

As with the majority of institutions, staff at The University of Exeter  are “strongly advised not to enter into an intimate relationship with a student”.

And it is not just a potential minefield for the professor; the relationship is unlikely to be in the student’s best interests either.

Student-lecturer relationships are likely to be destructive 

Even in countries such as Uganda, where the relationships are not so taboo, they are still unlikely to succeed.

Namuggabe told The Daily Monitor if a lecturer faces rejection: “You will most likely win yourself a retake or he will make life at campus a living hell for you.”

One Ugandan graduate told  The Daily Monitor  she sorely regrets falling in love with her lecturer

“It ended shortly in my final semester,” she said. “However, this had already left its mark on my university experience.”

The student found she spent less time studying and more time focused on her lecturer. She even began missing class, especially the lessons her lover taught.

My uni lecturer is so so sexy…so I thought i gained something because I know I deffo won’t be skipping his 9am lectures … BUT I won’t be paying attention to them either…I’ll be too distracted by him… so really…in the end…I didn’t gain much from having a sexy lecturer — SonAash'x (@aashanakaur1) January 29, 2018

“Everything became of less importance as coursework [was] completed half-heartedly and I would spend time during lectures fantasising about a future with him,” she said.

“I did not take advantage of the fact that he was my faculty dean, but when I realised that my grades had declined, I had the confidence he would take care of my results as he had promised me.

“But it didn’t happen. I really loved him, even with his empty promises.”

The student was unable to graduate on time as a result.

https://twitter.com/HannahRaphael/status/954010070865666048

What about after the student graduates?

Even if the person a lecturer begins dating is no longer a student, if they used to teach their partner, universities may be concerned should they be notified of the relationship.

If a lecturer makes a habit of dating former students, it could tarnish their reputation, branding them as someone who uses their students as a potential dating pool.

One educator claimed on  Academia Stack Exchange :  “The professor-student relationship does not end when the course ends.”

So, as dreamy as your lecturer may be, it is probably best to steer clear … even after you graduate.

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Professor/student romances: '20 bad endings' for every happily ever after

A former University of Cincinnati flute professor  accused of sexual misconduct over two decades may also have had consensual sexual relationships with at least six students, according to UC investigators' report.

That is, some students might have willingly gotten romantically involved with him.

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Consensual relationships don't violate the rules at many universities, including UC, but some music professionals and experts consider them unethical. 

“If you’re the teacher thinking about pursuing a relationship with a student, 10 times out of 10 times the answer should be no, don’t do it,” said Leah Stevens, a faculty member at the American Music Institute and People’s Music School in Chicago. “There’s no gray area for me.”

On one hand, college students are adults. On the other, can they make a decision of their own free will when the other person has all of the power?

Regulating such romances is complicated for colleges.

Power complicates consent

The issue came to the forefront earlier this month, when The Enquirer reported on UC's investigation into world-renowned flutist and longtime professor Bradley Garner. Nine women and another former professor told investigators Garner kissed and inappropriately touched College-Conservatory of Music students and others. UC tried to fire Garner after the investigators' report found evidence of "persistent and pervasive" sexual harassment, but he retired before the disciplinary process ended. 

During interviews, former adjunct professor Randy Bowman and a 2017 CCM graduate both told UC investigators they knew of at least six students who had a sexual relationship with Garner, who’s married. They both described those relationships as "an abuse of power." However, Bowman said he never reported the behavior because he thought the relationships were consensual. And UC doesn't have a rule against that.

Professor/student romances should never happen because of the power dynamic, Stevens said. 

"How can you do something like that and break a student’s trust?"

Stevens, who earned a master's in music in 2015 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said students are always told their success will come from “how we practice and what opportunities we take, but it is also about who we know.”

The pressure to get approval from a distinguished professor in the industry complicates consent. 

"Some young women think, 'If I say no, my career is going to be jeopardized,’” Stevens said. “You’re that scared that he could destroy it.”

Jennifer J. Freyd, a psychologist at the University of Oregon, agreed that professors who pursue students put the students in a “terrible bind.”

“It’s hard for them to have the freedom to say no,” Freyd said. 

She said it’s hard to know, even for the person in the relationship, whether they want it or they're feeling pressured into it.

The relationship can affect not just the student involved with the professor but the entire class, said  Keren Schweitzer, who studied with Garner in the 1990s.

“It’s not only harmful to her, but it’s a toxic environment for the entire studio,” Schweitzer said. “That shouldn’t be allowed.”

Local colleges' rules on professor/student relationships

In addition to UC, Miami University, Northern Kentucky University, Ohio State University and the University of Kentucky all allow faculty/student dating under certain conditions, according to an Enquirer review of their policies.

The only two area schools that don't are Xavier University and Thomas More College – both private Catholic schools. Thomas More officials say their ban has been "long-standing policy." Xavier has a process to request permission for an exception in rare circumstances. 

• More:  3 women complain about law dean's behavior. He still has a job.
• More: Cincinnati cop accused of sexual harassment still on the job
• More:  Why and how Enquirer is writing about sexual harassment

Administrators are in a difficult spot when it comes to policymaking in this area, experts say. 

"The days of reckoning are arriving for these types of behaviors," said Daniel Prywes, a Washington-based lawyer who specializes in academic human resource issues. "But on the other hand, under no circumstances can consenting adults be absolutely prohibited from having a romantic relationship." 

Students are adults, and professors – especially at a public school – may claim a ban is a violation of their civil rights, he said.

More common are policies such as those at Miami University, which bans faculty or supervisors from having relationships with students they have "academic oversight" over or directly supervise. Relationships are allowed if the student is not in a professor's class or department.

OSU has a similar partial ban on relationships involving anyone who might supervise, teach or coach a student or subordinate.

Mount St. Joseph University discourages professor/student relationships, school officials say. But if one occurs, the school "requires that the participants in such a relationship act immediately to remove the conflict of interest; and that the instructor report it to the Provost to ensure that all such conflicts of interest have been adequately addressed," school spokeswoman Kathleen Cardwell wrote in a statement.

Prywes counsels those in academia to stay away from the practice of dating students, even if there are plenty of examples of professors who are happily married to their former graduate students.

"For every time there is a positive result, there are 20 bad endings," he said. "It's like playing with fire."

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Can a Professor Date a Student? A Look at Policies and Cases

• by Michael Smart
• October 2, 2023
• Professors and Faculty

Have you ever thought of the many cases of students dating their lectures in public and private universities? Well, in modern educational institutions, the practice is not welcome despite the reported cases.

While it is a matter of two adults being involved in consensual relationships, universities have a responsibility to protect their students. With that view, the question comes of whether lecturers, professors, or faculty staff can date students.

A professor should not date a student because it is not allowed or encouraged in most universities. Most faculties and academic staff are barred from having sexual relationships with students of the same institution.

However, few cases are reported where professors date students and end up with responsible relationships.

Several universities prohibit a professor from dating a student because some of them use it as a weapon to harass the same students. Additionally, other institutions of higher learning banned the practice, citing several consequences that come out of such relationships.

Yes, a professor can only date a student in special circumstances. First off, it could be that the student is in a different university while the professor is teaching in a different institution. As such, there could be no conflict of interest since the professor will not be using his position as bargaining power.

Policies Adopted by Different Universities on Professor-Student Dating

Due to public outcry, many colleges and universities set up committees to come up with a code of conduct on how a student and a professor should behave. Several institutions outlined their policies on how to operate, as discussed in the examples below.

Yale University’s Dating Policy

Yale University is among the institutions in the US that prohibit lecturer-student relationships. A professor should only teach, supervise, and advise a student.

A sexual relationship may jeopardize educational integrity, leading to a conflict of interest. Such actions may impair the learning environment for other students.  

The policy states that a lecturer should avoid having a consensual relationship with students for whom he/or she has direct supervisory responsibility.

Precisely, a lecturer should not supervise a student with whom they have a sexual relationship.

Additionally, any student or lecturer who does not understand the university policy concerning relationships should consult with the departmental chair or dean.

Members or students have a right to complain if there is an abuse of the policy within the University. Just like other policies guiding teachers dating students , the students are well protected by this policy, and gives them the right to report.

Suppose the parties are violating the policy, the victims may face disciplinary action. Gross misconduct can lead to severe penalties, including termination. 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

MIT stands out in preventing the consequences that may arise when there is a romantic relationship between the professor and a student.

The institution prohibits academic staff from consensual relationships with students since they result in favoritism, abuse of authority, and conflict of interest. 

Due to the adverse effects of such relationships, MIT prohibits faculty members from having sexual or romantic relationships with students.

Furthermore, other employees who have broad influence over learners are also under restriction from having a sexual or romantic relationship with such students. 

Failure to adhere to such a policy may lead to disciplinary action, leading to termination of contact with the institution.

The affected person must report such actions to the relevant authorities within the institution for further investigation and possible actions. 

University of Michigan’s Relationships Policy

The University of Michigan put measures to curb any sexual and romantic scandals that arise among the student and faculty members.

The rules prohibit lectures and members of the faculty from having a sexual, amorous, or romantic relationship. 

Additionally, the rules do not allow lecturers to have a love relationship with students in the same academic discipline.

The University upholds such a code of conduct to promote an environment of trust, civility, and openness. Such allows the students to reach their full potential without coercion or using proxies. 

Those lecturers and students who violate such a policy may face disciplinary measures or a possible separation from the institution. 

Harvard University’s Consensual Relationship Policy

Harvard University is a reputable institution that has an excellent history of upholding academic excellence. The institution banned professors from engaging in romantic and sexual relationships with students. 

The University acted in that wisdom to protect the interest of both students and their lectures. There were cases when students reported sexual harassment, leading to power dynamics.

In response, the administration ended such cases by setting up strict policies to handle such challenges. 

In 2013, the institution revised rules to ensure that such stringent measures would discourage such relationships within the institution. 

University of Florida

The institution refrains the lectures and students in the faculty from forming romantic and sexual relationships due to the negative implications of the coursework.

The policies banned any connection between the undergraduate and faculty members and departments or the academic discipline. 

However, any existing romantic or sexual relationship between students and lecturers should not cease to avoid favoritism.

Whenever the faculty member senses such an existing relationship.

He or she should inform the Dean. When one violates such rules, it may lead to several consequences, including dismissals. 

The intention of setting up such policies is to protect academic integrity. Previously, such scandals led to abuse of authority and dishonesty in awarding grades to underserved students. 

University of California 

The University set up a policy that stops the activities and influences that could interfere with a student’s learning consistently.

The approach insulates the lecturer from forming a romantic or sexual relationship with a student by putting in stringent measures.

For instance, a lecturer should not have supervisory or advisory roles on any student he/she might be relating with sexually. Victims in a faculty who are violating such a code of conduct are subject to disciplinary action. The University can invoke its policy if it finds one guilty of violating the set rules.

Any victim of sexual harassment must report the incidents to the department and allow the institution to follow up and take disciplinary action.  

Professor-Student Relationship Stories from Cases reported

23 years ago, Yale banned Sex between faculty and its students . The University set up a policy that refrains faculty members from having sexual relations with the students. Such a move came in reaction to a case whereby the assistant math professor faced such a scenario. 

The University set up a ten-member committee that came up with recommendations that prohibited lecturers from indulging in such actions.

In response, the administration circulated the policy to all departments before it enforced it in the subsequent semesters. 

The committee concluded that when there is a sexual relationship between a lecturer and a student, it is likely to jeopardize the educational process and integrity by creating a conflict of interest. 

Furthermore, the policy stated that tutors should refrain from having a sexual relationship with a student with whom they have current or future supervisory control, whether the relationship is consensual or not. 

Additionally, the move prohibited tutors from supervising a student with whom they have a sexual relationship. Direct supervision covers examining, teaching, grading, or providing advice on a formal project such as a thesis. 

Although the professor refuted the claims of sexual harassment, he had to resign. The Yale Grievances Board reprimanded him and recommended dismissal. A 17-year-old female accused the same professor of sexual harassment. Since then, the policy is still in force.

In April 2018, a Penn professor was reported to be involved in a sexual scandals . The Daily Pennsylvanian paper reported Professor Robert Kurzban having an intimate relationship with an undergraduate female student.

Such actions were in violation of the institution’s policies, which came into force in 1995 after reviewing the guidelines. They included the banning of any sexual relationship between faculty members and undergraduate students.  

According to the ten students who spoke to The Daily Pennsylvanian, the relationship between Kurzban and the student sprung in 2017 with a tenured professor.

When The Daily Pennsylvanian reached out to Kurzban for comment, he declined. Later, he sent an email denying such allegations.

Kurzban was the head of the Psychology department, and he mentored undergraduate students regularly. The faculty handbook provides that any sexual relationship between the faculty members and the students can lead to reprimanding, expulsion, or termination of employment. 

ISP university administrators bared the professor from teaching in the faculty and stripped him of his title. However, the University did not elaborate if they fully demoted the professor or not. 

The law in Pennsylvania does not entirely ban such relationships between a lecturer and a student. However, the staff or the faculty can report such cases to the supervisor. 

I am an educational writer and blogger focussing on tech, education, and life improvement.

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9 things you should consider before embarking on a PhD

June 23, 2021 | 15 min read

By Andy Greenspon

The ideal research program you envision is not what it appears to be

Editor's Note:  When Andy Greenspon wrote this article, he was a first-year student in Applied Physics at Harvard. Now he has completed his PhD. — Alison Bert, June 23, 2021

If you are planning to apply for a PhD program, you're probably getting advice from dozens of students, professors, administrators your parents and the Internet. Sometimes it's hard to know which advice to focus on and what will make the biggest difference in the long-run. So before you go back to daydreaming about the day you accept that Nobel Prize, here are nine things you should give serious thought to. One or more of these tips may save you from anguish and help you make better decisions as you embark on that path to a PhD.

1. Actively seek out information about PhD programs.

Depending on your undergraduate institution, there may be more or less support to guide you in selecting a PhD program – but there is generally much less than when you applied to college.

On the website of my physics department, I found a page written by one of my professors, which listed graduate school options in physics and engineering along with resources to consult. As far as I know, my career center did not send out much information about PhD programs. Only after applying to programs did I find out that my undergraduate website had a link providing general information applicable to most PhD programs. This is the kind of information that is available all over the Internet.

So don't wait for your career center or department to lay out a plan for you. Actively seek it out from your career center counselors, your professors, the Internet — and especially from alumni from your department who are in or graduated from your desired PhD program. First-hand experiences will almost always trump the knowledge you get second-hand.

2. A PhD program is not simply a continuation of your undergraduate program.

Many students don't internalize this idea until they have jumped head-first into a PhD program. The goal is not to complete an assigned set of courses as in an undergraduate program, but to develop significant and original research in your area of expertise. You will have required courses to take, especially if you do not have a master's degree yet, but these are designed merely to compliment your research and provide a broad and deep knowledge base to support you in your research endeavors.

At the end of your PhD program, you will be judged on your research, not on how well you did in your courses. Grades are not critical as long as you maintain the minimum GPA requirement, and you should not spend too much time on courses at the expense of research projects. Graduate courses tend to be designed to allow you to take away what you will find useful to your research more than to drill a rigid set of facts and techniques into your brain.

3. Take a break between your undergraduate education and a PhD program.

You are beginning your senior year of college, and your classmates are asking you if you are applying to graduate school. You think to yourself, "Well, I like studying this topic and the associated research, and I am going to need a PhD if I want to be a professor or do independent research, so I might as well get it done as soon as possible." But are you certain about the type of research you want to do? Do you know where you want to live for the next five years? Are you prepared to stay in an academic environment for nine years straight?

Many people burn out or end up trudging through their PhD program without a thought about what lies outside of or beyond it. A break of a year or two or even more may be necessary to gain perspective. If all you know is an academic environment, how can you compare it to anything else? Many people take a job for five or more years before going back to get their PhD. It is true though that the longer you stay out of school, the harder it is to go back to an academic environment with lower pay and a lack of set work hours. A one-year break will give you six months or so after graduation before PhD applications are due. A two-year gap might be ideal to provide time to identify your priorities in life and explore different areas of research without having school work or a thesis competing for your attention.

Getting research experience outside of a degree program can help focus your interests and give you a leg up on the competition when you finally decide to apply. It can also help you determine whether you will enjoy full-time research or if you might prefer an alternative career path that still incorporates science, for example, in policy, consulting or business — or a hybrid research job that combines scientific and non-scientific skills.

I will be forever grateful that I chose to do research in a non-academic environment for a year between my undergraduate and PhD programs. It gave me the chance to get a feel for doing nothing but research for a full year. Working at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in the Space Division, I was the manager of an optics lab, performing spectroscopic experiments on rocks and minerals placed in a vacuum chamber. While my boss determined the overall experimental design, I was able to make my own suggestions for experiments and use my own discretion in how to perform them. I presented this research at two national conferences as well — a first for me. I was also able to learn about other research being performed there, determine which projects excited me the most, and thus narrow down my criteria for a PhD program.

4. Your current area of study does not dictate what you have to study in graduate school.

You might be studying the function and regulation of membrane proteins or doing a computational analysis of the conductivity of different battery designs, but that doesn't mean your PhD project must revolve around similar projects. The transition between college or another research job to a PhD program is one of the main transitions in your life when it is perfectly acceptable to completely change research areas.

If you are doing computation, you may want to switch to lab-based work or vice versa. If you are working in biology but have always had an interest in photonics research, now is the time to try it out. You may find that you love the alternative research and devote your PhD to it, you might hate it and fall back on your previous area of study — or you may even discover a unique topic that incorporates both subjects.

One of the best aspects of the PhD program is that you can make the research your own. Remember, the answer to the question "Why are you doing this research?" should not be "Well, because it's what I've been working on for the past few years already."While my undergraduate research was in atomic physics, I easily transitioned into applied physics and materials science for my PhD program and was able to apply much of what I learned as an undergraduate to my current research. If you are moving from the sciences to a non-STEM field such as social sciences or humanities, this advice can still apply, though the transition is a bit more difficult and more of a permanent commitment.

5. Make sure the PhD program has a variety of research options, and learn about as many research groups as possible in your first year.

Even if you believe you are committed to one research area, you may find that five years of such work is not quite what you expected. As such, you should find a PhD program where the professors are not all working in the same narrowly focused research area. Make sure there are at least three professors working on an array of topics you could imagine yourself working on.

In many graduate programs, you are supposed to pick a research advisor before even starting. But such arrangements often do not work out, and you may be seeking a new advisor before you know it. That's why many programs give students one or two semesters to explore different research areas before choosing a permanent research advisor.

In your first year, you should explore the research of a diverse set of groups. After touring their labs, talking to the students, or sitting in on group meetings, you may find that this group is the right one for you.

In addition, consider the importance of who your research advisor will be. This will be the person you interact with regularly for five straight years and who will have a crucial influence on your research. Do you like their advising style? Does their personality mesh with yours? Can you get along? Of course, the research your advisor works on is critical, but if you have large disagreements at every meeting or do not get helpful advice on how to proceed with your research, you may not be able to succeed. At the very least, you must be able to handle your advisor's management of the lab and advising style if you are going to be productive in your work. The Harvard program I enrolled in has professors working on research spanning from nanophotonics to energy materials and biophysics, covering my wide range of interests. By spending time in labs and offices informally chatting with graduate students, I found an advisor whose personality and research interests meshed very well with me. Their genuine enthusiasm for this advisor and their excitement when talking about their research was the best input I could have received.

6. Location is more important than you think — but name recognition is not.

The first consideration in choosing a PhD program should be, "Is there research at this university that I am passionate about?" After all, you will have to study this topic in detail for four or more years. But when considering the location of a university, your first thought should not be, "I'm going to be in the lab all the time, so what does it matter if I'm by the beach, in a city, or in the middle of nowhere." Contrary to popular belief, you will have a life outside of the lab, and you will have to be able to live with it for four or more years. Unlike when you were an undergraduate, your social and extracurricular life will revolve less around the university community, so the environment of the surrounding area is important. Do you need a city atmosphere to be productive? Or is your ideal location surrounded by forests and mountains or by a beach? Is being close to your family important? Imagine what it will be like living in the area during the times you are not doing research; consider what activities will you do and how often will you want to visit family.

While many of the PhD programs that accepted me had research that truly excited me, the only place I could envision living for five or more years was Boston, as the city I grew up near and whose environment and culture I love, and to be close to my family.

While location is more important than you think, the reputation and prestige of the university is not. In graduate school, the reputation of the individual department you are joining — and sometimes even the specific research group you work in — are more important. There, you will develop research collaborations and professional connections that will be crucial during your program and beyond. When searching for a job after graduation, other scientists will look at your specific department, the people you have worked with and the research you have done.

At the Asgard Irish Pub in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Andy Greenspon talks with fellow graduate students from Harvard and MIT at an Ask for Evidence workshop organized by Sense About Science. He grew up near Boston and chose to go to graduate school there.

7. Those time management skills you developed in college? Develop them further.

After surviving college, you may think you have mastered the ability to squeeze in your coursework, extracurricular activities and even some sleep. In a PhD program, time management reaches a whole new level. You will not only have lectures to attend and homework to do. You will have to make time for your research, which will include spending extended periods of time in the lab, analyzing data, and scheduling time with other students to collaborate on research.

Also, you will most likely have to teach for a number of semesters, and you will want to attend any seminar that may be related to your research or that just peaks your interest. To top it all off, you will still want to do many of those extracurricular activities you did as an undergraduate. While in the abstract, it may seem simple enough to put this all into your calendar and stay organized, you will find quickly enough that the one hour you scheduled for a task might take two or three hours, putting you behind on everything else for the rest of the day or forcing you to cut other planned events. Be prepared for schedules to go awry, and be willing to sacrifice certain activities. For some, this might be sleep; for others, it might be an extracurricular activity or a few seminars they were hoping to attend. In short, don't panic when things don't go according to plan; anticipate possible delays and be ready to adapt.

8. Expect to learn research skills on the fly – or take advantage of the training your department or career center offers.

This may be the first time you will have to write fellowship or grant proposals, write scientific papers, attend conferences, present your research to others, or even peer-review scientific manuscripts. From my experience, very few college students or even PhD students receive formal training on how to perform any of these tasks. Usually people follow by example. But this is not always easy and can be quite aggravating sometimes. So seek out talks or interactive programs offered by your department or career center. The effort will be well worth it when you realize you've become quite adept at quickly and clearly explaining your research to others and at outlining scientific papers and grant proposals. Alternatively, ask a more experienced graduate student or your advisor for advice on these topics. In addition, be prepared for a learning curve when learning all the procedures and processes of the group you end up working in. There may be many new protocols to master, whether they involve synthesizing chemicals, growing bacterial cells, or aligning mirrors on an optical table. In addition, the group may use programming languages or data analysis software you are unfamiliar with. Don't get discouraged but plan to spend extra effort getting used to these procedures and systems. After working with them regularly, they will soon become second nature. When I first started my job at Johns Hopkins, I felt overwhelmed by all the intricacies of the experiment and definitely made a few mistakes, including breaking a number of optical elements. But by the end of my year there, I had written an updated protocol manual for the modifications I had made to the experimental procedures and was the "master" passing on my knowledge to the next person taking the job.

9. There are no real breaks.

In a stereotypical "9-to-5" job, when the workday is over or the weekend arrives, you can generally forget about your work. And a vacation provides an even longer respite. But in a PhD program, your schedule becomes "whenever you find time to get your work done." You might be in the lab during regular work hours or you might be working until 10 p.m. or later to finish an experiment. And the only time you might have available to analyze data might be at 1 a.m. Expect to work during part of the weekend, too. Graduate students do go on vacations but might still have to do some data analysis or a literature search while away.

As a PhD student, it might be hard to stop thinking about the next step in an experiment or that data sitting on your computer or that paper you were meaning to start. While I imagine some students can bifurcate their mind between graduate school life and everything else, that's quite hard for many of us to do. No matter what, my research lies somewhere in the back of my head. In short, your schedule is much more flexible as a PhD student, but as a result, you never truly take a break from your work.

While this may seem like a downer, remember that you should have passion for the research you work on (most of the time), so you should be excited to think up new experiments or different ways to consider that data you have collected. Even when I'm lying in bed about to fall asleep, I am sometimes ruminating about aspects of my experiment I could modify or what information I could do a literature search on to gain new insights. A PhD program is quite the commitment and rarely lives up to expectations – but it is well worth the time and effort you will spend for something that truly excites you.

Contributor

Andy greenspon.

How Many Ph.D.'s Actually Get to Become College Professors?

Not every Ph.D. student aspires to a career as a tenured college professor. But in plenty of fields, particularly the humanities, spending your life buried up to your elbow patches in books and papers is the gold standard of success. So while breaking down the National Science Foundation's data for my last two pieces on the job market for doctorate holders, I took a bit of time to look at just what fraction of new graduates were landing jobs in the academy.

The good news? The numbers have only dropped a few percentage points in 20 years. The bad news? They were pretty low to begin with.

Keep in mind, 34 percent of all soon-to-graduate Ph.D.'s didn't report having a job or postdoctoral appointment in the NSF's survey. At least some of those students probably landed at a college or university eventually. But long term, if you graduated in the class of 2011, your chances of living the academic dream appear to have been pretty slim. 

The available data on long-term career outcomes for Ph.D.'s aren't great. But back in 1999, a study titled Ph.D.'s -- Ten Years Later surveyed thousands of one-time doctoral students about how they'd fared in the workforce a decade or more after graduation day. These were men and women who'd received their diplomas sometime between 1982 and 1985, when the market was a bit less red in tooth and claw. And even in those days, their experience showed that without a fast early start, your chances of successfully scaling the ivory tower and reaching tenure were pretty slim. At the time 53 percent of all Ph.D.'s said they had intended to become professors. As this table (apologies for the awkward angle) showed, only about half of that group had obtained tenure within ten-to-fourteen years, while 33 percent weren't in academia at all.

With tenure relatively rarer than it was 30 years ago, it's fair to assume that an even larger portion of tomorrow's full professors will come from the Ph.D.'s who land academic jobs off the bat. And as we've seen, that group is getting pretty small.

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Are PhD students allowed to collaborate with other faculty without their advisors being involved

Is it possible/ethical for PhD students to collaborate with a professor from different institution on a topic different from their dissertation research without telling their advisors.

Are PhD students limited to exclusively work for their advisors or it is legitimate for them to do research during their spare time to publish papers with other collaborators.

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• collaboration

• 2 What 'spare' time? PhDs are a lot of work. If not focused on the main problem area. If the other problem area is so attractive that you would lie to your current advisor (and it will come to that, no doubt), then you should leave for the other group. –  Jon Custer Commented Mar 10, 2017 at 14:13

2 Answers 2

The answer to both the title and the second paragraph of the question is the commonest answer to questions about PhD studies: "Discuss it with your advisor.". The advisor knows about relationships between your department and other institutions, and may know more than you do about the history of collaborations with them. There is a serious issue of whether you can make fast enough progress on your dissertation research if also pursuing other research. The advisor is supposed to give advice about how to proceed with your research career.

The answer to the first paragraph of the question body, about not even telling one's advisors, is that it is just not going to work. As soon as you co-author anything with the other institution, the collaboration is public. Even if your advisor does not come across it, someone will mention it to them. At the best it will be something like "I see your student user2987 is doing interesting work with Professor X."

Maybe the advisor would have liked the collaboration if it had been discussed in advance. If they find out about it indirectly, they will know you have gone behind their back. That is likely to damage your relationship with your advisor.

• 5 "likely" to damage that relationship is a good candidate for the understatement of the year. –  E.P. Commented Mar 10, 2017 at 23:36
• 5 If they're doing interesting work with Professor X, they might be a mutant. Just saying. –  hobbs Commented Mar 11, 2017 at 5:08

Is it possible/ethical for PhD students to collaborate with a professor from different institution on a topic different from their dissertation research

Of course it is! The goal of any PhD program is to develop strong independent researchers. Limiting any PhD student's collaborations to one faculty member or group would be directly opposed to that goal. I consider publication of at least one paper without the advisor to be an iron-clad graduation requirement in my field, and in particular for my own PhD students.

However, if your advisor is paying you as a research assistant, then you do have an obligation to work on the specific project for which you are being paid. You can't ethically work on another project—research or otherwise— at the expense of the work you are being paid to do. But as long as you are fulfilling the terms of your funding, what you do with the rest of your time is up to you.

Note: Your advisor may disagree with my opinion about independent work. Working on research without their explicit approval may violate their expectations for you as their PhD student, possibly to the point of them refusing to work with you further. While I believe such a response is both deeply unethical and counterproductive, that doesn't mean it can't happen.

without telling their advisors.

No, no, no. Don't even think about it.

If you feel the need to hide your research activities (the entire point of getting a PhD) from your advisor (the one person whose job is to help you succeed), then your relationship with your advisor is deeply broken. If you lie to your advisor, they will almost certainly find out later. If you can't trust your advisor, find a new advisor. If you think your advisor would disapprove of your independent work, either live with the disappointment or find a new advisor.

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• MyU : For Students, Faculty, and Staff

Regents Professor Lawrence Que Jr. retires after 41 years at University of Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (8/13/2024) – Regents Professor Lawrence “Larry” Que Jr. retired from the Department of Chemistry on May 26th, 2024, after serving the University of Minnesota for more than four decades. Que’s tremendous impact in the field of bioinorganic chemistry earned him the title of Regents Professor in 2009 and election to the National Academy of Sciences in 2022. 

The early years

Born and raised in Manila, Philippines, Que’s chemistry career began in the undergraduate chemistry program at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, Philippines. He earned his bachelor’s degree 1969 before arriving at the University of Minnesota to continue his chemistry education in the PhD program, which he completed in 1973. During his PhD, Que was advised by Louis H. Pignolet. Throughout his doctoral studies, Que used NMR spectroscopy to research intramolecular rearrangement reactions of transition metal complexes. He went on to conduct postdoctoral research under Professor Richard H. Holm at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1973-74) and under Professor Eckard Münck at the University of Minnesota (1975-77) which set the stage for his lifelong career in bioinorganic chemistry.

With his affinity for and expertise in iron chemistry firmly in place by 1977, Que started his independent career as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Cornell University. While at Cornell, Que utilized Resonance Raman spectroscopy to study dioxygenases; these enzymes would ultimately form the bedrock of Que’s research for the next 40 years. 

Return to Minnesota

In 1983, Que returned to the University of Minnesota, this time as a member of the faculty.  “Returning to Minnesota was the best decision I ever made for my career,” Que says. “I fell in love with this department during graduate school. I was very happy to have the opportunity to return, it’s been an honor to contribute to building our program for the last four decades.”

Described in more than 550 publications, Que’s research spanned the subfields of stereochemistry, catalysis, and crystallography. He established himself as an expert and innovator in bioinorganic chemistry, playing a pioneering role in understanding the function that nonheme iron centers play in dioxygen activation in biology. His work produced the first synthetic models for high-valent iron-oxo intermediates, which are crucial for understanding the electronic structures, spectroscopic properties, and reactivities of these units. Additionally, Que led efforts to create functional models for various iron oxygenases, including catechol dioxygenases, α-ketoglutarate-dependent oxygenases, and cis-dihydroxylating arene dioxygenases. These chemical tools aim to perform two specific types of chemical reactions that enable stereospecific alkane hydroxylation and highly enantioselective olefin cis-dihydroxylation. These advancements could lead to more environmentally friendly and sustainable alternatives to current heavy-metal oxidation catalysts. Que’s key dioxygen discoveries were published in ACS  Chemical Reviews in 2004, in an article titled  “Dioxygen Activation at Mononuclear Nonheme Iron Active Sites:  Enzymes, Models, and Intermediates ;” this paper would turn out to be the most cited work of his career. His prolific research portfolio garnered invitations to present more than 400 lectures around the world. 

Over the years, Que’s research group focused on the topics of iron, oxygen, and biocatalysis in the area of bioinorganic chemistry, The group’s primary effort, involving a combination of biochemical, synthetic inorganic, and spectroscopic approaches, was aimed at elucidating the oxygen activation mechanisms of nonheme iron enzymes, designing functional models for such enzymes, trapping and characterizing reaction intermediates, and developing bio-inspired oxidation catalysts for green chemistry applications. Que advised 55 graduate students and 80 postdoctoral researchers over the course of his career. Over 50 Que Group alumni have tenure-track or tenured faculty positions in colleges or universities.

Que’s critical dioxygen research earned him the title of  Regents Professor in 2009. A quote from the citation for the award reads “Undoubtedly, Professor Que is currently the top bioinorganic chemist in the world. In his chosen field, oxygen activation of iron-containing enzymes and biomimetic compounds, his group, in my estimation, is at least three years ahead of his closest competitors. Almost single-handedly he has developed the major fraction of the synthetic chemistry of iron in high-oxidation states. This chemistry is vital to our understanding of many processes in biochemistry, to the development of new drugs, and most importantly, to developing a green chemistry that can alleviate the problems caused by pollutants and pathogens that afflict human health." The Regents Professorship is the highest honor the University of Minnesota bestows on its faculty. The title recognizes faculty who have made exceptional contributions to the University through teaching, research, scholarship, or creative work, and contributions to the public good.

Beyond his research success, Que demonstrated significant commitment to service to the University across his career. He is credited with establishing the University of Minnesota as a world-renowned center of excellence in bioinorganic chemistry. He organized the International Conference on Oxygen Intermediates in Nonheme Metallobiochemistry (1996) and the Ninth International Conference on Biological Inorganic Chemistry (1999). From 1999 to 2002 – and again from 2008 - 2012 – he served as the inaugural PI on the National Institutes of Health  Chemistry-Biology Interface Training Grant that brings faculty and students from various departments together. He also led the effort to establish the University of Minnesota Center for Metals in Biocatalysis, which allowed faculty and students from multiple units to collaborate in exploring the roles of metals in biology.

Que was longest standing editor-in-chief of the Springer  Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry (JBIC), serving the journal for 20 years .  JBIC – the official journal of the Society of Biological Inorganic Chemistry since 1996 – is a peer-reviewed journal promoting the field of biological inorganic chemistry internationally. The publication aims to provide insight into systems of metals in biology at biochemical, molecular, and cellular levels.

For his research, service, and mentorship, Que has been honored with many awards over the course of his career. These honors include the 3M/Alumni Distinguished Professorship (1999), the National Institutes of Health MERIT Award (2000), the UMN Distinguished Teaching Professorship (2000), the Royal Society of Chemistry Inorganic Reaction Mechanisms Award (2011), and the American Chemical Society Award in Inorganic Chemistry (2017). He was also elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2001, a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2008, and a fellow of the American Chemical Society in 2011. In 2022, Que was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Membership in the NAS is one of the highest honors given to a scientist or engineer.

LQ Fest: 40 Years of Fun with Iron Chemistry at the University of Minnesota

In July 2023, the Department of Chemistry hosted LQ Fest: 40 Years of Fun with Iron Chemistry at the University of Minnesota in honor of Que. 19 of Que’s collaborators, mentees, and even his daughter, Emily Que – who is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin – presented lectures, stories, and memories related to Que’s research and career. When recalling the event he said “I’ve loved my job. I’ve loved the people that I’ve worked with. I spent the last 50 years of my life dedicated to chemistry, and I never looked back. The event was a wonderful opportunity to get together with many people that I’ve cared about to celebrate my career.” 

The next chapter

“Nothing changes, really. I’ve always thought about chemistry, and I’ll continue to think about chemistry all the time,” Que said. In this next chapter of life, Que is adopting a  come what may attitude. He says he is looking forward to spending more time with his grandchildren in Texas and embarking on new adventures with his wife. 

Memories and Notes from the Chemistry Faculty

"Larry is an extraordinary scientist who has made incredible discoveries in the field of bioinorganic chemistry that have changed the way we think about how important iron-containing enzymes work. His passion for research is unparalleled, and his infectious enthusiasm has made a difference in the lives of many students over his career. His leadership was critical in making UMN a respected centerpiece of high quality bioinorganic chemistry research and teaching, well-known across the globe. On a personal level, I am deeply grateful for his mentorship during my career at the University of Minnesota; his insights and advice made a major difference in my life! Thank you, Larry, and congratulations on your retirement!" – Professor Bill Tolman, Dean, College of Arts & Sciences, St. Thomas University

"The University of Minnesota Department of Chemistry has been lucky to count Prof. Larry Que among our faculty. His chemical creativity and passion have had a big impact on bioinorganic chemistry as a field, and his thoughtfulness as a colleague has had a major impact on our department community." – Professor Christy Haynes, Chemistry Department Head

"Larry has been a standout in the bioinorganic community, rising to the highest levels of academic achievement at the University of Minnesota as a Regent’s professor, and nationally, as a member of the National Academy of Sciences.  I have always appreciated his scholarly approach to studying catalysis at the fundamental level for connecting with biology.  When I joined the department in 2012, starting my lab’s research program in chemical biology, I always loved hearing from the outside community of what high regard they held for him as a giant in the field of iron-mediated (bio)catalysis.  I also benefited significantly from Larry’s effort for initiating our NIH T32 Chemistry and  Biology Interface training grant (CBITG), for which he served as the first director, and established a trajectory of continual funding for the next 25 years.  This grant has impacted the careers of well over 100 graduate students, and has been a true gem of the three departments of Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics (BMBB) and Medicinal Chemistry.  Beyond being a true iron man in his field, one of Larry’s main legacies is a long track record of highly successful trainees, which was on full display at last year’s retirement party, Larry Que Fest. He’s leaving our department having made an indelible mark and will be deeply missed. " – Professor William C.K. Pomerantz

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Can professors date?

I apologize if the title is weird/inappropriate.

Using an alt account cause of privacy yada yada.. I'm currently a postdoc in a top STEM university with a decent track record and (hopefully!) will get a tenure track position next year in a R1 university at a smallish/mid size college town in US (I only sound so optimistic because of some informal agreement). I recently got out of a long term relationship with my partner whom I thought I was gonna marry but some of you know how these things go.. anyway .. are there any chances of professors meeting people in such places? Do you know of any such examples?

Sorry if I sound too incoherent, but things feel a bit hopeless! Thanks!

Edit: Thanks a lot, all of you, for your responses! They have really helped and give me a lot more perspective, ideas, and hope going forward. You folks have been super informative and tongue-in-cheek as this sub is (almost) generally [citation needed ??] !! See you on the other side!

Also, of course, I don't want to date students (no matter the university policy). That's exactly why I posted this question since I was assuming most people in college towns ARE students.

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DU Professor Helps Solve Famous 70-Year-Old Math Problem

Jordyn reiland.

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Assistant Professor Mandi Schaeffer Fry is the first faculty member to be published in the Annals of Mathematics since the 1880s.

University of Kaiserslautern Professor Gunter Malle, University of Denver Assistant Professor Mandi Schaeffer Fry and University of Valencia Professor Gabriel Navarro pose for a photo after announcing their theorem in Oberwolfach, Germany.

Whether it be flying trapeze, participating in competitive weightlifting or solving math problems that have confounded academics for decades, Mandi Schaeffer Fry enjoys chasing the next adventure.

Schaeffer Fry, who joined the University of Denver’s Department of Mathematics in the fall of 2023, will be the first faculty member since the 1880s to be published in the Annals of Mathematics , widely seen as the industry’s most prestigious journal.

In 2022, Schaeffer Fry helped complete a problem that dates to 1955—mathematician Richard Brauer’s Height Zero Conjecture.

“Maybe one of the most challenging parts, other than the math itself, was the knowledge of the weight that this would have on the field,” Schaeffer Fry says. “If you’re going to make an announcement like this, you have to be darn sure that it’s absolutely correct.”

Over the years, number crunchers have worked on the problem at universities across the globe, and some found partial solutions; however, the problem was not completed until now.

“Mandi’s accomplishment is exciting. Solving Brauer's Height Zero Conjecture is remarkable,” Mathematics Department Chair Alvaro Arias says. 

The work is also a testament to DU’s achievement as a Research 1 (R1) institution.

Fry and her collaborators—University of Kaiserslautern Professor Gunter Malle, University of Valencia Professor Gabriel Navarro and Rutgers University Professor Pham Huu Tiep—worked around the clock over the course of three months in eight-hour shifts during the summer of 2022 to find a solution.

In April, that work was accepted for publication in the Annals of Mathematics.

'Brauer's Height Zero Conjecture (BHZ) was the first conjecture leading to the part of my field studying 'local-global' problems in the representation theory of finite groups, which seek to relate properties of groups with properties of certain nice smaller subgroups, letting us 'zoom in' on the group using just a specific prime number and simplify things," Schaeffer Fry says. 

"The BHZ gives us a way to tell from the character table of a group (a table of data that encodes lots, but not all, information about the group) whether or not certain of these subgroups, called defect groups, have the commutativity property," she adds.

This paper was especially meaningful to Schaeffer Fry as she had always wanted to work with Malle, Tiep and Navarro as they have been her primary mentors. Tiep was her PhD advisor and this was the first time they had worked together since then.

Fry believes she has solidified her place in the field and knows she’ll likely never top this accomplishment, but she’s always looking for the next adventure—whether that’s in or out of the classroom.

Flying high and pumping iron

When Schaeffer Fry isn’t on DU’s campus working with students or conducting research, you can find her flying trapeze and competitive weightlifting.

Schaeffer Fry became involved in competitive weightlifting during graduate school, and, in the last year of her PhD at the University of Arizona, she defended her dissertation one day and got on a plane and competed at the national level for “university-aged” athletes—which included Olympians.

While she now lifts weights more casually, Schaeffer Fry competed last September in an over-35 competition and qualified for the USA Weightlifting Masters National Championships.

It was a “field trip” during a conference in Berkeley, California, in 2018 that led Fry to become enamored with flying trapeze.

In fact, she enjoyed it so much she signed up to be a member of Imperial Flyers, an amateur flying trapeze cooperative located in Westminster. Once she found out about the sport, her previous experience as a gymnast made it a natural fit.

Not only is she working on her own intermediate tricks, she’s also a “teaching assistant” at Fly Mile High, the state’s only flying trapeze and aerial fitness school.

“It’s exhilarating; it’s gotten me a bit over my fear of heights,” she says.

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Raygun becomes viral sensation during breaking performance at 2024 Paris Olympics: Social media reacts

Breaking , more commonly known as breakdancing, made its debut as an Olympic sport this week at the 2024 Paris Games , with 17 B-girls and 16 B-boys making their way to France with the hopes of securing a gold medal.

On the first day of competition, viewers from across the world were treated to a different kind of introduction — not to the sport itself, but one of its athletes.

Though she was a long way from winning a gold medal, likely no breaker Friday captured the imagination of the international audience more than Rachael Gunn, an Australian breaker who competes under the name “Raygun.”

REQUIRED READING: Follow USA TODAY's coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics

Raygun went 0-3 in her head-to-head competitions Friday — falling to Logistx of the United States, Syssy of France and eventual silver medalist Nicka of Lithuania by a combined score of 54-0 — and failed to record a point across those three matches, but for what she lacked in smoothly executed moves, she made up for in the hearts she won over with her demeanor.

Raygun’s short-lived Olympic experience made her a celebrity, one who people became even more enamored with once they learned more about her.

The 36-year-old Gunn, who was one of the oldest qualifiers in the breaking competition, has a PhD in cultural studies and is a college professor at Macquarie University in Sydney. Her research focuses primarily on breaking, street dance and hip-hop culture while her work draws on “cultural theory, dance studies, popular music studies, media, and ethnography.”

“In 2023, many of my students didn’t believe me when I told them I was training to qualify for the Olympics, and were shocked when they checked Google and saw that I qualified,” Gunn said to CNBC earlier this month .

Unlike much of her competition in Paris, Gunn took up break dancing later in life. She didn’t enter her first battle until 2012.

On Friday, a person who began the day as a little-known academic ended it as a viral worldwide sensation.

Here’s a sampling of the reaction to Raygun and her performance:

2024 PARIS OLYMPICS: Meet the members of Team USA competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Social media reacts to Raygun’s breaking performance at 2024 Paris Olympics

I could live all my life and never come up with anything as funny as Raygun, the 36-year-old Australian Olympic breakdancer pic.twitter.com/1uPYBxIlh8 — mariah (@mariahkreutter) August 9, 2024

Give Raygun the gold right now #breakdancing pic.twitter.com/bMtAWEh3xo — n★ (@nichstarr) August 9, 2024

my five year old niece after she says “watch this!” : pic.twitter.com/KBAMSkgltj — alex (@alex_abads) August 9, 2024

I'd like to personally thank Raygun for making millions of people worldwide think "huh, maybe I can make the Olympics too" pic.twitter.com/p5QlUbkL2w — Bradford Pearson (@BradfordPearson) August 9, 2024

The Aussie B-Girl Raygun dressed as a school PE teach complete with cap while everyone else is dressed in funky breaking outfits has sent me. It looks like she’s giving her detention for inappropriate dress at school 🤣 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/lWVU3myu6C — Georgie Heath🎙️ (@GeorgieHeath27) August 9, 2024

There has not been an Olympic performance this dominant since Usain Bolt’s 100m sprint at Beijing in 2008. Honestly, the moment Raygun broke out her Kangaroo move this competition was over! Give her the #breakdancing gold 🥇 pic.twitter.com/6q8qAft1BX — Trapper Haskins (@TrapperHaskins) August 9, 2024

my dog on the lawn 30 seconds after i've finished bathing him pic.twitter.com/A5aqxIbV3H — David Mack (@davidmackau) August 9, 2024

My wife at 3AM: I think I heard one of the kids Me: No way, they are asleep *looks at baby monitor* pic.twitter.com/Ubhi6kY4w4 — Wes Blankenship (@Wes_nship) August 9, 2024

me tryna get the duvet off when i’m too hot at night #olympics pic.twitter.com/NM4Fb2MEmX — robyn (@robynjournalist) August 9, 2024

Raygun really hit them with the "Tyrannosaurus." pic.twitter.com/ZGCMjhzth9 — Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) August 9, 2024

Raygun (AUS) https://t.co/w2lxLRaW2x — Peter Nygaard (@RetepAdam) August 9, 2024

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The Australian Professor Who Turned Breaking on Its Head

Rachael Gunn, known as B-girl Raygun, displayed some … unique moves as she competed in a field with breakers half her age. The judges and the internet were underwhelmed.

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By Dodai Stewart and Talya Minsberg

Reporting from Paris

Breaking made its debut as an Olympic sport Friday, and among the competitors was Dr. Rachael Gunn, also known as B-girl Raygun, a 36-year-old professor from Sydney, Australia, who stood out in just about every way.

By day, her research interests include “dance, gender politics, and the dynamics between theoretical and practical methodologies.” But on the world’s stage in Paris, wearing green track pants and a green polo shirt instead of the street-style outfits of her much younger fellow breakers, she competed against the 21-year-old Logan Edra of the United States, known as Logistx.

During the round robin, as Raygun and Logistx faced off, Raygun laid on her side, reached for her toes, spun around, and threw in a kangaroo hop — a nod to her homeland. She performed a move that looked something like swimming and another that could best be described as duckwalking. The high-speed back and head spins that other breakers would demonstrate were mostly absent.

The crowd cheered Raygun politely. The judges weren’t as kind. All nine voted for Logistx in both rounds of the competition; Logistx won, 18-0.

Online, Raygun’s performance quickly became a sensation, not necessarily in a flattering way.

“The more I watch the videos of Raygun, the Aussie breaker, the more I get annoyed,” one viewer posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “There’s 27.7 million Australians in the world and that’s who they send to the Olympics for this inaugural event??? C’mon now!”

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