When Professors “Date” Their Students

It’s wrong. Period. Unfortunately, it happens, and it happens too often. Worse, it goes unaddressed by other faculty and by administration except when it’s an MA lecturer level male. That’s when the hypocrite train rolls and gains steam until the guy’s (it’s always a male) contract runs out. Then he’s let go. Female lecturers may engage in the practice, though I don’t recall hearing any buzz about it in the faculty lounge. I suspect that if it does occur among the female faculty, it’s discreet.

Tenured profs seem to be more prone to it and tend to be less discreet about it, especially if they have attained the “Sacred Cow” level of tenure. These professors publish frequently and have been in their positions long enough to have heard enough verifiable stories to tell about other faculty. One tenured prof went about as far as he could go in the department. He attained his BA and MA degrees in this university, worked as a TA, then he left to earn his PhD at another undeniably more prestigious university. When he returned he was the department’s enfant terrible.

That’s putting it nicely. He was an obnoxious bastard, even by the standards by which some students rate me. He was (and still is) known as Dr. Death  for his penchant for awarding unfairly low grades.

He carried on a blatantly public relationship with one student for several years. Students noticed it and talked behind his back. That was when it became toxic and demoralizing for anyone who had taken his courses.

University policy requires teachers who develop an intimate relationship with a student to report the relationship.  The teacher must promise in writing to the department chair and to the dean of the college to suspend any involvement until either the student or the teacher leaves the school. This guy didn’t submit any such thing. I know. I am friends with the dean of the college. He knew about it. The department chair (then a man) knew about it. Nobody did anything until word got out that not only was he a difficult teacher, but he was also schtuping one of their classmates. His class was largely avoided for a couple of semesters.

But Dr. Death is still here, and his little darling went on to be awarded a TA position and a three-year teaching contract. She may still be around. I don’t attend enough faculty meetings to know. I don’t look for her. She could be around, but I just don’t notice.