UNIVERSITIES
NILA SINGSIRI
The law governing the behaviour of university staff needs revamping to ensure tougher disciplinary measures for lecturers who commit sexual misconduct, deputy rector of Suan Dusit Rajabhat University Sukhum Chaleysub said yesterday. Mr Sukhum said the ambiguity of the existing law has enabled university staff and lecturers to escape disciplinary action for sexually harassing students.
The law only stipulates that university lecturers and officials should set a good example, have a sense of decency, and not behave offensively towards students. However, it does not mention anything about disciplinary punishment for staff and lecturers whose behaviour is offensive.
Mr Sukhum's suggestion followed the sexual harassment charge levelled against Asst Prof Chakkarit Uttho of Ubon Rajathanee University, who allegedly offered a third-year female student better grades in exchange for sex.
Mr Sukhum said that by comparison, the law governing the behaviour of school teachers is far more serious in terms of punishing offenders. It even states that offenders could lose their teaching licences.
He also said that sexual assaults of university students by lecturers were a social problem and pre-emptive measures were crucial to curbing the problem.
A centre should be set up at all educational institutions so students who have been sexually harassed can file complaints and seek advice, he said.
Winij Chotechuang, the rector of the Rajamangala University of Technology (RMUT) at Nakhon Ratchasima, ordered the deans of all faculties at the university and five other campuses in the Northeast to keep a watchful eye on their lecturers.
Mr Winij said lecturers were more careful following media reports of the recent sexual harassment case.
In Ubon Ratchathani, Pol Lt-Col Pratya Kongsakul said police were in the process of collecting evidence relating to the alleged sexual harassment committed by Asst Prof Chakkarit, and the process might take one month.
An unnamed liberal arts graduate told reporters that Asst Prof Chakkarit harassed not only females but also male students, saying the lecturer had made indecent advances towards him.
He rejected the advances and was later threatened that his grades would be hurt, he said
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