Alumni Conduct Policy

Christ Church is committed to fostering an inclusive culture which promotes equality, values diversity and maintains a working, learning and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all members of the College community are respected. Christ Church does not tolerate any form of harassment or victimisation and expects all members of the College community, its visitors and its contractors to treat each other with respect, courtesy and consideration. Alumni visiting Christ Church or attending Christ Church events are expected to treat members of the College community with courtesy and not to subject to harassment any member of the College community. 

Alumni acknowledge that being under the influence of alcohol, drugs or being otherwise intoxicated is not an excuse for harassment or a lack of respect, courtesy and consideration. Alumni are advised to drink responsibly and further are responsible for their own health and behaviour whilst in Christ Church or attending a Christ Church event.

Alumni are expected to ensure that any guests they bring to Christ Church or to Christ Church events abide by this Conduct Policy. Alumni in breach of this Conduct Policy may:

i) be refused permission to enter Christ Church or a Christ Church event; ii) be required immediately to leave Christ Church or a Christ Church event; iii) not be invited to Christ Church or a Christ Church event for a specified period.

Definitions

1. The College community: senior members, junior members and staff of Christ Church.

2. Alumni: persons who have completed at least one academic year at Christ Church in a teaching, learning or research capacity and who are not also members of the ‘College community’ as defined in the foregoing paragraph.

3. Christ Church events: events organised by Christ Church either online or in person.

4. Harassment: a person subjects another to harassment where they engage in unwanted and unwarranted conduct which has the purpose or effect of:

▪ Violating another person’s dignity, or

▪ Creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for another person. 

The recipient does not need to have explicitly stated that the behaviour was unwanted.

Harassment may involve repeated forms of unwanted and unwarranted behaviour, but a one-off incident can also amount to harassment.

The intentions of the alleged harasser do not always determine whether harassment has taken place. The perception of the complainant and the extent to which that perception is in all the circumstances reasonable will also be relevant.

Harassment can take a variety of forms:

▪ Through individual behaviour face to face, either verbally or physically, or electronically

▪ directly to the person concerned, or to a third party

▪ Through a prevailing culture which tolerates harassment or bullying, for example the telling of homophobic or racist jokes.

Examples of behaviour which may amount to harassment include but are not limited to: 

▪ Insulting, abusive, embarrassing or degrading behaviour or comments

▪ Unwanted physical contact, ranging from an invasion of space to an assault, including all forms of sexual harassment, including: 1. inappropriate body language 2. sexually explicit remarks or innuendo 3. unwanted sexual advances and touching

▪ Offensive comments or body language, including insults, jokes or gestures and malicious rumours, open hostility, verbal or physical threats; these include all forms of harassment and abuse on the grounds of sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, cultural differences, abilities or religion (or lack of).

▪ Bullying is a form of harassment and may be characterised as offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient. 

Approved by Governing Body 14 February 2024.