On Tuesday, November 4th, 2024, the Ashesi Judicial Committee (AJC) heard and deliberated on allegations of sexual harassment against a student. The incident occurred during the Spring semester of the 2022/23 academic year and the accused is a member of the Class of 2025.
Background to the case:
In the Spring 2022/23 semester, the accused met the complainant on the walkway in front of his/her room, where they exchanged pleasantries. During that encounter, the accused informed the complainant that it was possible for others to see into their room and that on one such occasion, he/she had observed the complainant in a state of undress and made comments regarding the complainant’s body. These suggestive comments continued after the meeting in a playful manner, for which the complainant asked the accused to stop repeatedly. The complainant subsequently filed a report with the Office of Diversity and International Programmes, which oversees Appropriate Sexual Behaviour conversations on campus. During the investigation, the student decided not to escalate the matter to AJC and the accused was called in and given a warning. However, during this semester, the complainant heard a conversation where the accused is believed to have invaded another student’s privacy, despite that student expressing his/her disinterest in the accused. The incident was subsequently reported to the Dean, and the case was brought to the AJC.
Hearing
During the hearing, the committee identified behaviour patterns by the accused, such as entering rooms of the opposite gender uninvited and wrapping his/her hands around their necks, which constitutes sexual harassment as defined in the Student’s Handbook (Section 10.16). Although the student denied all the accusations, he/she was unable to provide a witness to corroborate their side of events. The council found his/her actions under those circumstances questionable and worrisome.
Later at the hearing, the committee enquired whether the complainants had expressed any desire to discontinue engaging with the accused and if those requests had been ignored, to which the accused responded in the negative. However, evidence shown to the committee indicated otherwise.
The AJC deliberated on the following infractions of policies and sanctioning guidelines in the Student Handbook:
- “Sexual harassment is 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, … or living environment for a student…, by focusing on that person’s gender. Sexually harassing behaviours differ in type and severity and can range from subtle verbal harassment to unwelcome physical contact.” (Section 10.16)
- “Ashesi University, its students, and its professional associations will not in any way condone cheating, lying, or any other misrepresentations. Moreover, anyone who willingly conceals these activities will be considered accomplices and equally culpable.” (Section 7.5).
- “A student should not knowingly provide false information or make misrepresentations to any University office… Students who are found to have provided false information may be subject to dismissal.” (Section 9.2)
Verdict & Recommendation(s)
After carefully reviewing all the facts of the case, the AJC concluded that the student is guilty of sexual harassment and lying to the AJC and would receive a suspension of one (1) academic semester (January – June 2025).
Advice to the Ashesi Community:
The Committee would like to advise:
- Ashesi has zero tolerance for any form of sexual misconduct. Students should take all trainings and policies around Appropriate Sexual Behaviour – including Ashesi Success classes – seriously, to ensure that all members of our community feel safe.
- Community members are encouraged to prioritize orientation for all new community joiners around Appropriate Sexual Behaviour as soon as they join the community.
- Lying or making misrepresentations to a university official or office is unacceptable.
- Students who believe they may have experienced sexual misconduct may come forward at any time to report such incidents; however, reports made sooner enable more effective intervention and support.
- Students must learn from past infractions adjudicated by the AJC to better understand the expectations of all members of our community.
This case provides a lot of learning for the entire community, and the hope is that it is reflected on as such. Our code of ethics is central to our mission: to train a new generation of ethical and entrepreneurial leaders in Africa; to cultivate within our students the critical thinking skills, concern for others, and the courage it will take to transform a continent. This code applies to all, no matter the circumstance.