The University’s initiative to rewrite its sexual harassment policy is a much-needed step toward transparency and clarity for students who are victims of harassment.
But those who are reworking the policy should be careful to word it in a way that will not deter victims from reporting harassment. An explicit statement of the obligations of reporting a crime should never make silence a more attractive alternative.
The University is reworking its harassment policy after an incident in fall 2009 illuminated a disincentive to reporting harassment.
The current policy is confusing. Students have difficulty understanding the document, especially the full implications of reporting an instance of harassment.
The current version led at least one student to come forward about an incident with her research advisor without understanding that the dean she spoke with would be legally required to file a report.
The student in question then had to switch advisors, which proved to be a significant roadblock to her research.
Any future students in that position would be forced to weigh whether reporting the crime would similarly derail their progress.
For students who are struggling to put themselves through college or graduate school, changing advisors midway is more than a minor hang-up. It can set them back so much that they have no choice but to take another semester.
The committee in charge of rewriting the policy should work to ensure that, if harassment does occur, the problem is not compounded by a difficult reporting process.
