The University of Otago does not propose to ban intimate relationships between staff and students.
The university decided last year to review its ethical behaviour policy following Clayton Weatherston's conviction for murdering Sophie Elliott (22) in her home in 2008.
Miss Elliott was an economics student at Otago when she met Weatherston, who tutored her in the subject.
They had a relationship for about eight months.
About 16 groups or individuals made submissions on possible amendments to the ethical behaviour policy, particularly to the "abuse of supervisory authority" section which outlines what staff should do when a they enter staff-staff or staff-student personal relationships, or when they work with or teach family members.
The revised policy, which university human resources director Kevin Seales said yesterday was now in final draft form, more clearly defined relationships which might result in a conflict of interest, and what should happen once those relationships were disclosed.
The university "strongly discourages" personal relationships between staff and students for whom they have responsibility, the revised policy says, advising staff to avoid entering into them.
"Such a relationship risks taking advantage of the intrinsic trust, power and status differential implicit in the staff to student relationship," it says.
The revised policy does not go as far as saying such relationships should be banned, or that staff in relationships should resign.
Staff in relationships will still have to disclose the relationship to their head of department or manager, but the revised policy clarifies the person being told of the relationship has a responsibility to "manage or remove the conflict of interest", and to document the processes put in place to achieve that.
It also makes it clear a staff member in a personal relationship with a student, or teaching a family member, should not be involved with the supervision of or assessment of the work of that student or family member.
The revised policy would be discussed by the Senate, before going to the university council.
