Tutors quizzed on love interest

STAFF AT a university may be asked to declare any romantic interests with students or colleagues in a new "love book".

Managers at Bradford University said the idea was intended to eliminate allegations of favouritism from students having affairs with their tutors. And staff turned down for promotion would be able to see what intimate relationships were going on between bosses and workers.

The proposed policy of declaring "any relationship where there might be potential conflicts of interest" is contained in a consultation document to be put to staff and students.

But the Association of University Teachers, a lecturers' trade union, said it invaded members' privacy. The branch president, Adrian Pearce, said: "We already have a code covering staff-student relationships and a code against harassment. We do not think it is necessary or practical to start trying to define which relationships ... need to be declared."

A spokesman for the university said: "We have prepared draft guidelines building on the current guidelines, which cover staff-student relationships." He added that the teachers' association had pressed for a formal code in 1993.