U of California bans professor-student sex.(Brief Article)

Professors who have relationships of a "romantic or sexual nature" with students they supervise or "should reasonably expect" to supervise in the future will be in big trouble with the University of California system.

The Board of Regents voted to ban such relationships in July, warning that professors who violate the new policy could face strong penalties, ranging from a letter of censure to dismissal. In May the Academic Assembly representing faculty throughout the 10-school system approved the policy.

The ban comes after dozens of lawsuits nationwide held schools responsible for professors taking advantage of their power over students. Recently many schools have tinkered with their policies on sex between professors and students, some as a result of public fallout over liaisons gone bad. Here are some schools' policies:

* At Ohio Wesleyan University, a new policy requires professors to tell a dean or chair before starting a relationship, and relinquish any supervisory role over the student. After a dozen drafts and a faculty vote, the policy went into effect in April. Sanctions for violating it are a ...