8.0049 CASE: Consenting Academics for Sexual Equity (1/84)

Elaine Brennan (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Sun, 5 Jun 1994 21:55:30 EDT

Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 8, No. 0049. Sunday, 5 Jun 1994.

Date: 3 Jun 94 21:43:00 PST
From: "BarryM.Dank " <CASE@beach1.csulb.edu>
Subject: consent

Humanist onliners:

We thought that you might be interested in learning about
a new netwrok that is presently forming. A statement of purpose
of CASE is upcoming. Unfortunately, there has been little overt
opposition expressed to the increasing institutional intrusion
into the intimate aspects of the lives of academics. CASE
has been created to attempt to change this situation. Persons
to date who have become affiliated with CASE cover the academic
spectrum with heavy representation from psychology and sociology.
What "unites" us is our opposition to authoritarianism; of course,
the authoritarians are opposed to the very existence of CASE
CASE's creation was based on what we believe is firmly
humanistically grounded- that free autonomous adult human beings
should not be treated/judged in impersonal categorical terms.
If you have any degree of interest in the issues that we are
raising, do post us, and we will send you more information as well
as informing you when our e mail network will be available for
subscription.
Barry Dank for CASE

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CONSENTING ACADEMICS for SEXUAL EQUITY


Consenting Academics for Sexual Equity(CASE) is an association of
academics, and those with prior academic affiliations, committed
to the principle of consent regarding intimate relationships.
In advocacy of this principle, CASE rejects the principle
advocated by some academics that academics in asymmetrically
related positions be banned from having intimate relationships.
Specifically, we regard it as an inappropriate intrusion
for universities to ban consenting intimate relationships
between students and professors; students and administrators;
junior professors and senior professors, etc.

While CASE is opposed to academic banning of intimate relationships,
we do not endorse or encourage particular types of intimate
relationships. In terms of student-professor relationships occurring
while a class is ongoing, we hold that such relationships are often
fraught with potential difficulties; however, we feel that it is
inappropriate for authority to coercively repress such relationships.
Whether relationships be inside or outside of academia, we
encourage all involved persons to fully and responsibly explore
the ethical ramifications of their behavior.

CASE rejects the concept that consenting adult sexual relationships
can fall under the rubric of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment
cannot occur unless there is UNWANTED sexual attention. CASE regards
the attempts of universities to coerce the behavior of consenting
academics as a form of sexual harassment in itself. In this regard,
we are also concerned that such banning policies may also be employed
as a guise to regulate and demean persons who are involved in
same sex or interracial or inter-age relationships. Our concern
also includes the effects of academic banning on all kinds of
academic relationships, such as non-sexual friendships and mentoring
relationships.

CASE is particularly concerned with the cartoon caricatures of
professor as predatory lecher and the student as innocent
victim. Such caricatures deny the diversity and heterogeneity
of university life and function to denigrate and degrade fellow
academics, both students and professors. In terms of dealing with
such caricatures, CASE provides speakers, both men and women,
who will openly address ethical issues relating to asymmetric
academic relationships and the banning of such relationships.

CASE has been created by academics and former academics who
are or have been involved in long-term committed relationships
that originated in an academic context. Some of us are married;
some of us are parents; some of us are gay. Whatever your personal
situation may be, please do consider joining us and helping us
secure the right of intimate association for adults in academia.

For more information about CASE,and becoming associated with CASE,
contact Professor Barry M. Dank, Ph.D., Coordinator, CASE, Department
of Sociology, California State University, Long Beach, Calif.90840.
Or voice mail at 310-985-4236.
Or e mail at case@beach1.csulb.edu