The Story

On college campuses everywhere, in this era of #Me Too and Title IX,  what are the complexities of professor-student relationships? Most campuses have now drawn clear lines: no non-academic relationships between any professor or student, no matter if that student is in a professor’s class or not. But not that many years ago, dating between professors and students was not all that uncommon, and marriages sometimes resulted. Still, even when consensual, does the power imbalance taint any such relationship? Are the tightening rules necessary to protect everyone? Or do those rules go too far? This is the dilemma facing philosophy professor Elizabeth Drewer when there is a growing (and mutual) attraction between herself and her teaching assistant / graduate advisee. Will she allow passion to lead her into behavior she considers unethical, or will she hold on to her ideals, no matter the personal cost?