Post-secondary
institutions (PSIs) should play a critical role in ensuring that educators are
well-equipped to set appropriate boundaries with students. PSIs can do this
through a combination of training, policy development, support systems, and
fostering a culture of respect and professionalism. There are several ways
institutions can support their staff in this regard:
- Comprehensive
Training Programs:
- Mandatory
Training: PSIs should implement mandatory training sessions
for new and current faculty on professional boundaries, ethical behavior,
and appropriate student interactions. These trainings should include
scenarios and role-playing exercises to help participants understand and
navigate complex situations.
- Ongoing
Education: Provide continuous professional development
opportunities that address evolving issues in student-instructor
relationships, including online interactions and social media use.
- Ethical
Decision-Making: Incorporate ethical decision-making frameworks into
faculty training to help educators make informed choices when faced with
boundary-related dilemmas.
- Clear Policies
and Guidelines:
- Code of
Conduct: Develop and disseminate a clear, comprehensive code
of conduct that outlines acceptable behaviors and interactions between
faculty and students. This should cover in-person, online, and
off-campus interactions. Special attention should be given to particularly
at-risk student groups such as new and first-generation students, international students, and graduate students to name a few.
- Reporting
Mechanisms: Establish clear reporting mechanisms for both
students and faculty to address boundary violations. Ensure these
mechanisms are accessible and protect confidentiality. Students need to
be aware of advocate and appeal options (e.g., student unions).
- Support Systems:
- Mentorship
Programs: Create mentorship programs where experienced
faculty can guide newer educators on maintaining professional boundaries
and navigating difficult situations.
- Counselling
and Support Services: Offer counselling services for
faculty who may need help dealing with boundary issues or managing the
stress that can arise from maintaining professional relationships with
students.
- Institutional
Culture:
- Leadership
Example: Senior administration and department heads should
model appropriate behavior and promote a culture of respect and
professionalism. Training and educational resources should be provided
for administrative staff and department heads as well as well as faculty.
- Regular
Reviews: Conduct regular reviews and assessments of faculty
behavior and student feedback to ensure that boundaries are being
maintained appropriately. Use this data to make improvements in training
and policy.
- Technology and
Online Interaction:
- Guidelines for
Digital Communication: PSIs should provide guidelines
on appropriate use of digital communication with students, including
email, social media, and online learning platforms. Highlight the
importance of maintaining professional language and boundaries in all forms
of communication. For example, instructors should be encouraged to reply
only to students’ PSI email address as opposed to personal email.
In conclusion,
PSIs can help ensure that their staff are well-equipped to set and maintain
appropriate boundaries with students (and each other) through providing educational
and technological resources, explicit policy & processes, and employee support
systems. These steps will foster a safer and more professional learning environment
and work culture for students and staff.