The Art of Managing Boundaries
Jane Halonen
Anita Schonberger
Purpose of Presentation
Review common threats to healthy boundary
practices
Identify risks of boundary violations
Explore strategies to “pre-empt” boundary
hassles
Common Boundary Questions:
Why is boundary management an institutional
concern?
How “close” should you be with students?
Is consensual relationship permissible?
Advisable?
What if students want more than you are
willing to give?
Why do faculty pursue students?
Why Is There Concern?
Harassment stats place faculty
unflattering light.
~ 30% undergrad/40% grad females report
unwelcome faculty encounters during career
~ Teaching is already beleaguered
~ Exploitive professors make us less trustworthy
Boundary mismanagement can lead to
complaints and more
in
What about Academic Freedom?
Academic freedom does not offset
professional responsibility for climate:
CBA Article 5. Academic freedom is accompanied by
the corresponding responsibility to “respect students,
staff, and colleagues as individuals; treat them in a
collegial manner; and avoid any exploitation of such
persons for private advantage.”
What about Personal Choice?
There are some who advocate consensual relationships
as acceptable or even desirable: here is bad example
“I believe the best teaching is done in bed. I’m totally
serious. It’s healthy and appropriate for the student
and teacher to have a love relationship whenever
possible.”
~Allen Ginsburg
Cited by Paul Abramson, author of Romance in the Ivory Tower:
The Rights and Liberty of Conscience (2007)
How close is close enough?
“Student-centered” can be a misnomer.
~ We are known for personalized environment to
promote effective learning and caring but
~ Primary care should be about quality of learning
for all students
~ Caring can be easily misconstrued
General tip: Friendly, but not familiar.
How familiar is familiar?
Rethink unquestioned practices:
~ having student babysit or perform other personal
services (e.g., car-washing, grape-picking)
~ singling out one student of a specific group to get
special treatment (e.g., hiring for extra duties on
unrelated grant)
~ any practice that gives a student unfair
information advantage over other students (e.g.,
seeing others’ files)
~ parties involving alcohol and selected students,
especially the under-aged
Is Consensuality Permissible?
Yes…
CBA allows consensual relationship at UWF
with two stipulations:
1. Notify supervisor.
2. Remove conflict of interest.
Includes grading, scholarship support,
grad admission decisions, etc.
Note: This extends consideration to any
students over whom you have power.
CBA Policy on Consensual Relations
“Consenting romantic and sexual relationships
between faculty and student, while not expressly
forbidden, are discouraged. The respect and trust
accorded a professor by a student, as well as the
power exercised by the professor in giving grades,
evaluations, advice, or recommendations creates an
imbalance of power and may diminish the student’s
actual freedom of choice.” Article 6.
Is Consensuality Advisable?
No…
Fosters perceptions of favoritism.
Creates aura of secrecy.
Confers special status that may be transient.
Places extra burden on learning climate.
Expresses lack of understanding
of power dynamics and abuses of power.
Faculty Rationalizations
Examples of faculty thinking that
lead to trouble:
~It’s okay as long as no one gets hurt.
~It’s okay as long as I don’t gain personally.
~I can be objective
(not like those other professors).
~Everyone else does it. Why shouldn’t I?
~It’s consensual.
can
Risk of Ruined Romance
Greater harm tends to befall
the least powerful after breakup:
Student
may redefine relationship as nonconsensual
may lose confidence in abilities and flee
may have been alienated from supports
may fear faculty reprisal
could become unhinged
The
Risk to Faculty Member
Other students view you as partial,
opportunistic
Colleagues view you as exercising poor
judgment
University may view you as exercising
unprofessional conduct
The potential for a “Fatal Attraction” moment
(it may not be a boiled bunny but broken-hearted angry lovers
can get even in unpleasant ways)
What Can UWF Do to Minimize?
Challenge the colleague to think through
consequences and risks of actions
Evaluate boundary practices in interviews
Provide extra support when faculty may be
more vulnerable to bad judgment
Provide specific training, including rehearsal
of typical boundary challenge moments
Adhere to fair and fast investigatory practice
Document everything
Why do students seek attention?
Faculty are attractive because
~ Local celebrities
~ Students can “bask in reflected glory” (BIRG)
~ Capturing professor attention reassures students
of their special status
~ Other unpleasant personality dynamics (e.g., you
remind the student of a parent and why not work
out those issues with you?)
What If Student Persists?
Obsessions do happen on campuses-->
Case 1: A faculty member gets summoned by dean
who received a letter from an unhinged student
asking for help in getting their affair to end. The
letter also sent to his wife and the president…
Case 2: A student who decides the faculty member
must be her “birth mother” and begins to bring
presents and otherwise intrude into faculty life
because the faculty agreed to meet her off campus to
help her…
How Can Faculty Pre-Empt?
 Do not provide home or cell phone number
 Evaluate your “touching” practices: Litmus test:
Would you touch all students in the same way?
 Return presents or donate them to public setting
(e.g. department, charity)
 Review and constrain personal narratives to illustrate
class concepts
 Anticipate, rehearse typical tough moments, e.g. “Is
there anything I can do to improve my grade??”
 Offer help freely but in public settings
When Students Become Sticky Fans
 Confront student and ask for clarification of
intent
 Spell out your limits and don’t WOBBLE
 Keep copies of communications and send to chair
and student’s advisor
 Document attempted unwelcome contacts
 Involve trusted others (may need later as
witnesses)
 Consider campus judicial process or even
restraining order
CBA Definition of Sexual Harassment
“Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual
favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a
sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when
1.Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or
implicitly a term or condition of employment or academic
success.
2.Submission of rejection of such conduct is used as the basis
for employment or academic decisions.
3.Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably
interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance
or creating an intimidating or offensive working or learning
environment.” CBA, Article 6.
Possible Discussion Scenarios
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITY
You become aware that someone in the
department has generated a lot of gossip
about possible inappropriate boundary
behavior at a discipline-based convention.
What professional expectations would guide
your behavior?
Possible Discussion Scenarios
CUT ME A BREAK
A student asks for a private appointment and
explains that he/she is unable to complete an
assignment on time because life has just
been too hard but would be interested in
doing anything to secure a better grade in
your class? What is the best response?
Possible Discussion Scenarios
CLASSROOM GOODIES
A colleague brags that students always bring
her bags of Snickers bars at some point in the
semester because they find out it is her
favorite. She claims not to know what
prompts the students’ behavior but manages
to mention her preferences systematically in
every course. What are the issues? What
steps, if any, should be taken?
Possible Discussion Scenarios
LOVESICK & LOVEHAPPY
You comment at lunch that a colleague looks
a little tired. She affirms the fatigue and
states that it is from the new and exciting
relationship that has blossomed with her new
grad student. She states that she hopes you
aren’t a prude but she is happier than she
has ever been. What response can you make
to be most helpful?
Possible Discussion Scenarios
GRATITUDE
One of your favorite students in the
course
gives you a $50 gift certificate at the end of
the course for a job well done. Should you
accept this gesture? Are there any hidden
risks in receiving this level of appreciation?
For follow-up questions and comments:
Jane Halonen jhalonen@uwf.edu
Anita Schonberger aschonberger@uwf.edu
Conclusion
University not interested in being morality
police but invested in championing a culture
in which all can optimize their learning.