On July 7, 2017 the Ashesi Judicial Committee (AJC) ruled on an invasion of privacy incident that happened in a female washroom in an on-campus hostel. The AJC concluded that the male student, a member of the Class of 2020, was guilty of sexual harassment, stalking and lying to a university official.
The AJC treats cases of sexual harassment and misconduct with utmost seriousness to uphold Ashesi’s mission of raising responsible and ethical leaders who will transform Africa.
As stated in Ashesi’s student handbook:
Sexual harassment, a form of discrimination based on sex, gender, or sexual orientation, clearly endangers the environment of mutual respect and is prohibited.
Definition: Sexual harassment is of two basic types: (a) any action, verbal expression, usually repeated or persistent, or series of actions or expressions that have either the intent, or are reasonably perceived as having the effect, of creating an intimidating, hostile, or demeaning educational, employment, or living environment for a student or University employee, by focusing on that person's gender. A hostile environment is defined as one that interferes with the ability to learn, work (if employed by the University), or have access and opportunity to participate in all and any aspect of campus life (harassment creating a hostile environment); (b) […]. (Ashesi Student Handbook, Section 10.15)
Stalking is a form of harassment, which occurs when a person engages in a course of conduct or repeatedly commits acts toward another person, including following the person without proper authority, under circumstances that demonstrate either of the following: placing the person in reasonable fear of bodily injury; or reasonably causing substantial emotional distress to the person. (Ashesi Student Handbook, Section 10.12)
A student should not knowingly provide false information or make misrepresentation to any University office. Students are obligated to provide University personnel with truthful and accurate identification upon request. (Ashesi Student Handbook, Section 9.2.)
After deliberating, the AJC concluded that the student will be expelled from Ashesi immediately.
The committee appreciates the student’s honesty during the hearing, however due to the severity of the case and a previous guilty verdict by the AJC, it was decided that the appropriate sanction is expulsion.
Advice to the Ashesi Community:
The AJC encourages the community to take the following into serious consideration:
- Ashesi has zero tolerance for any form of harassment. Respect yourself and others always.
- The AJC advices that male students should not use washrooms in the female hostels and female students should not use washrooms in the male hostels.
- Lying to any university personnel including security guard(s) is a serious offence.
- Students should speak with university counselor if they require professional support with personal issues.
- Students should be reminded that a subsequent guilty verdict at the AJC will have an escalated sanction, regardless of the infraction.
- As a community, let’s be each other’s keeper. We have a responsibility to look out for our colleagues and serve as positive influences to others around us.
