Fraternization Policy

Clubs often participate closely with their advisor on projects and programming and often even travel with advisors. It is imperative that advisors and members keep professional relationships. 

CWI faculty and staff assist CWI in meeting its mission of providing a quality higher education for its students. Students should be assured that the relationships they develop with employees are built upon the highest ethical principles of the education profession. Maintaining professional relationships and mutual respect and trust between employee and students is key to CWI’s success. 

Employee and student relationships give rise to actual or apparent conflicts of interest, favoritism and bias and thereby undermine the real or perceived integrity of the academic environment. A relationship where an employee has academic, administrative, supervisory, evaluative or other authority or influence over a student raises concerns about objectivity, fairness and exploitation. These relationships may harm others in the academic environment and give rise to third party complaints resulting from real or perceived instances of undue access or advantage and/or restricted opportunities. Such relationships impair or otherwise undermine the ongoing trust needed for effective teaching, learning and professional development. Accordingly, CWI has adopted the following guidelines to address certain relationships between employee and students. 

• Employees are prohibited from dating, pursuing a date, and having or pursuing a romantic or sexual relationship with a student enrolled in the faculty member’s class or subject to employee supervision. Relationships between employee and students that are of a romantic or sexual nature when a relationship of authority exists are prohibited. 
• No CWI employee shall exercise any academic, supervisory, evaluative or other authority or influence over a student with whom the employee has a relationship. 
• If a relationship exists or arises between an employee and a student, any relationship of authority must be eliminated. 
• If a relationship arises, exists or has existed between an employee and a student, the employee has the primary responsibility to report the relationship to his or her immediate supervisor and/or Human Resources. 
• In the event that a consensual relationship exists or has existed between an employee and a student, the supervisor must take prompt and appropriate action to end the relationship of authority.   
• Appropriate actions may include but are not limited to: appointment of a qualified alternative instructor to the position of authority; transfer of the student to another course, section, or seminar taught by a different instructor; or assignment or transfer of the student to another academic advisor. 
• In the event that a CWI employee or student not involved in the relationship believes a relationship is occurring or has occurred between an employee and a student, the employee or student shall disclose such knowledge to the relevant department supervisor and/or Human Resources.  
• To encourage reporting of relationships governed by this policy, disclosures shall be considered confidential.  
• Further, retaliation against any employee or student reporting a relationship under this policy is strictly prohibited. 

For more information on the College of Western Idaho's Fraternization Policy, please refer to the Human Resources Policy – 020. 

Further questions or concerns can be directed to Student Engagement at clubs@cwi.edu.