RUS Seeks Sexual Harassment Policy

The Radcliffe Union of Students (RUS) yesterday called upon the Faculty to explicitly define sexual harassment and to publicize a grievance procedure, saying that their continuing failure to do so "denies students an equal access to education because of their gender."

The RUS statement--already endorsed by 18 undergraduate organizations, including four House committees--charges "discrimination in education," because women who believe they are being harassed in a classroom situation have no idea of what Harvard considers sexual harassment, and Faculty and staff are never told explicitly what kinds of actions are prohibited.

But Marlyn M. Lewis, assistant dean of the College, said that "although there are no written criteria, we can tell it when we see it." She said she is working on a proposal to submit to the Faculty condemning harassment but not specifically defining it.

"We're trying to write something that they'll buy," she said, adding. "The Faculty doesn't like to vote on things like this anyway."

The proposal will probably recommend that the College continue its "case by case" analysis, Lewis said.

Sharon J. Orr '83, President of RUS, said yesterday that her group will request a formal definition of harassment from the Faculty Council, formation of an ad hoc committee to review grievance procedures, and eventually an open letter on the subject by President Bok.

Habit

Under the current system, the options offered a student who makes a formal complaint are all likely to be damaging academically, Orr said. The College usually recommends that a harassed student change sections, drop the class, or simply remain in the situation, she added.

The Student Handbook contains no description of sexual harassment, but says only that "an undergraduate in Harvard College who feels he or she has been subjected to discrimination" should contact his or her senior tutor. Orr said this statement is not sufficient. "The only place where sexual harassment is defined is in the personnel manual, because the labor law--Title VII--is much stricter," she added.

RUS also criticized the College for not making public its grievance procedure in a case of sexual harassment. Because a student is told only to discuss the situation with her senior tutor, Orr said, many victims of harassment probably do not pursue their complaints further Lewis has said that four or five complaints of sexual harassment made to Senior Tutors every month are never reported to her office, Orr said.

Lewis said many students probably do not pursue these complaints because they are only matters of "sexual tension," not actual sexual harassment. If it is only a matter of sexual tension, "one of the things we try to do is help people deal with this problem they'll be dealing with their entire lives," she added.