From time to time, circumstances arise when faculty find themselves in a position where they could have a family member in one of their courses. Ideally, faculty and students would avoid these situations because they can pose a conflict of interest when a faculty member is in a position to grade a relative and affect their GPA, academic standing, and academic record. This conflict arises if the faculty member has a bias (even an unconscious one) towards their relative. Even if such a bias does not exist, other students in the class may perceive that it does, and may legitimately believe they are being treated unfairly as a result.
In response to inquiries about these situations, the Provost’s Office felt it was important to provide clear direction. Having a standard approach assures expectations are transparent, understood in advance, and consistently applied. Therefore, the Provost Office developed the Policy on Familial Relationships and Teaching based on a review of practices at peer institutions.
Please review the new policy at http://policy.uconn.edu/?p=5905. For questions, please contact the Provost’s Office at 860-486-4037.
For more information, contact: The Office of the Provost at 860-486-4037