on professional incest

This document spells out the unwritten contract between at least one former professor of mine at Bryn Mawr and students, and professors at my former graduate school and their graduate and undergraduate students. I think they need to include it with admissions material and all the other things one signs at the beginning of enrollment in the endeavour of pursuing a degree. This is because, in my experience, sexual openness to professors who want to use one is often a prerequisite for an advanced degree. Whether at Bryn Mawr, or large Universities such as UW, if you aren't sexually open to the professors who invite you to their cars at night, or the male ones who want only to stare at your breasts when you meet about projects, then you aren't allowed to get through the system.


STATEMENT OF INFORMED CONSENT FOR A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A TEACHING PROFESSIONAL AND A STUDENT

I, __________________, hereby consent to a sexual relationship with _____________________ (Professor), a licensed _________________, whose student I am or have been for the purpose of _________________.

In granting this consent, I understand that, although some such relationships are successful, all relationships between professors and students carry great risk. Such involvement may be accompanied by personal degradation by the professor, criticism of my relationship with-my current partner, and encouragement to isolate myself from other personal involvements. I understand also that the professor may not be in a monogamous relationship with me and that he/she is likely to suddenly terminate the relationship.

I understand that my entering this relationship may involve the forsaking of moral and intellectual values to which I have previously adhered with strong conviction. I understand that my feelings toward this professor may be based on a symbolic attraction, also known as transference, in that these feelings may be less related to my knowledge and understanding of him/her as a person than to his/her representation to me as a powerful, trustworthy, dependable, knowlegable figure who can provide for my intellectual and/or emotional needs. I understand also that the professor's feelings toward me may be based on a similar symbolic attraction, also known as countertransference. I understand that my dependence on this professor may compromise my ability to fully understand the basis of my feelings toward him/her or my ability to terminate the relationship even after I am no longer comfortable with it.

I understand that by engaging in this sexual relationship with me, this professor may be violating his/her code of professional and university ethics as well as certain laws of the state.

I understand that a sexual relationship with this professor may ultimately have extremely damaging consequences for me including, but not necessarily limited to, disruption and abandonment of degree plans, extreme discomfort and experience of a hostile environment in my degree program, feelings of betrayal, helplessness, anger, confusion, guilt, and depression, that these feelings could result in a need for psychiatric care, and that these feelings could possibly result in my suicide.

I understand that the anger and distrust that I may develop toward this professor may generalize to other academics or even to all people of the same gender or field as this professor.

In expressing these feelings to others, I may find that I derive little understanding or sympathy from present or future partners, members of my family, my friends, co-workers, other professors, or even helping professionals. I understand further that disclosure of my sexual involvement with this may result in my estrangement from some or all of these people, further increasing my feelings of loneliness, confusion, and guilt.

I understand that all of the aforementioned risks have been documented in previous sexual relationships between professors and their students.

I assert that these risks have been fully explained to me by a knowledgeable health or other professional other than the professor, that I am willing to accept these risks, and I freely and willfully give my informed consent to said sexual relationship.

Signed this _____ day of _____________, ____.

__________________________

(adapted from M. Plaut)

That's what the real price is for a degree.