Tobias Sylvester
University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) has taken action against sex-for-grade by imposing a ban on all form of hugging among female students and their lecturers, threatening severe sanctions for those who flout the new directive.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Ndowa E. S. Lale disclosed this during the launch of the institution’s policy against sexual harassment at Ebitime Banigo hall.
Professor Ndowa said said the University decided to raise the bar on sexual harassment to ensure that young men and women put in the charge of lecturers are protected from antics of sexual predators who use their privileged positions to blackmail or railroad their unwilling students or subordinate staff into granting them sexual favours.
He said the management of the University in the policy document defined the rules of engagement between lecturers, administrators and students, and visitors to the university.
Prof Ndowa vowed that sanctions would be meted to earring members of staff but added that there was robust in-built checks and balances to protect those who are innocently accused.
He also warned that any person so accused would be presumed guilty until he or she could prove otherwise under the established rules of fair hearing.
Prof Ndowa added that the same applied to students who harassed lecturers to award them undeserved grades, saying they should equally be ready to face the music if and when caught in the act of self-advertisement to their lecturers.
