All college/university students should be guaranteed the following rights concerning faculty sexual harassment/sexual misconduct:
 

1. The right to receive and review, prior to enrolling at a college/university, published summary statistics on the incidence of documented faculty sexual harassment/sexual misconduct cases on campus.
 

2. The right to attend classes, receive academic advising/counseling, and participate in any college/university related activity in an environment free of faculty sexual harassment/sexual misconduct.
 

3. The right to be led by campus administrators (department heads, deans, and president) who do not have past histories involving unpublicized or unreported sexual harassment/sexual misconduct that prevent them from aggressively protecting student rights.
 

4. The right to receive mandatory education/training on faculty sexual harassment/sexual misconduct to include:
 

    a. a clear statement of student rights and responsibilities,

    b. specific guidelines concerning appropriate and inappropriate faculty behaviors,

    c. simple instructions concerning how and where to file a complaint, and

    d. a full explanation of options to initiate civil and/or criminal charges, along with applicable filing
        deadlines.

5. The right to be taught, advised, and counseled by faculty members who have successfully completed a mandatory education/training program on sexual harassment/sexual misconduct, to include:
 

    a. specific faculty responsibilities,

    b. clear guidelines concerning appropriate and inappropriate behaviors, and

    c. the serious disciplinary consequences for those who violate student rights.
 

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6. The right to know, before taking a class or selecting an advisor, whether the professor has a disciplinary record for past sexual harassment/sexual misconduct involving students.

7. The right to have a truly student-friendly complaint process, complete with trained student advocates.

8. The right to know that all complaints (both formal and informal) concerning alleged faculty sexual harassment/sexual misconduct will be competently, confidentially, and thoroughly investigated in a timely manner by qualified professionals, to include contacting former students who may have been victimized, or who may have information relevant to the complaint.

9. The right to know that faculty charged with serious sexual harassment/sexual misconduct will be immediately removed from any positions involving student contact, pending the results of a full investigation.

10. The right to know that there is student representation on any college/university board or committee charged with hearing/reviewing cases involving faculty sexual harassment/sexual misconduct.

11. The right to know that faculty found guilty of sexual harassment/sexual misconduct will be severely disciplined (including suspension without pay or termination, depending upon the severity of the offense).

12. The right to receive a written apology, if victimized by faculty sexual harassment/sexual misconduct, from the college/university president.

13. The right to receive counseling/therapy, if victimized by faculty sexual harassment/sexual misconduct, paid for by the institution.

14. The right to receive a full refund of any tuition/fees paid for a course in which faculty sexual harassment/sexual misconduct occurred.

15. The right to be protected from any attempted retaliation for filing a complaint.

16. The right to know that there is student representation and input in any campus effort to publicize or address issues involving faculty sexual harassment/sexual misconduct.
 

©1997, Charles J. Hobson