Regional Maritime University forms anti-sexual harassment committee
The Management of the Regional Maritime University (RMU) has constituted a Six-Member an Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee to draft a policy to deal with sexual harassment in the University.
They are Mr Jethro W. Brooks Jr., Chairman, Dr John York Abaidoo, Mrs Felicia Ankoma-Sey, Mr Peter Ehgan and Mr Eric Duncan, all Members.
With the terms of reference of the Committee, they are to define the objectives of the policy.
The Committee is tasked to draft the policy, which should specially address but not limited to what constitute sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct.
They are also to draft reporting channels of violation and mechanisms and procedure of grievances redress.
The Committee is also to look for best practices in other tertiary institutions and adopt, where necessary and any issues that will address the matter.
Professor Elvis Nyarko, the Vice-Chanellor of RMU speaking at the 17th Matriculation of the University said the issue of sexual harassment is being given serious attention as an institution.
He said as a matter of policy, the RMU frowns on such acts and steps are being taking to tackle them from all fronts.
“I will urge all and sundry to desist from any form of sexual misconduct henceforth,” he added.
He reminded Lecturers and Administrative staff as well as other support staff, that students have been entrusted into their care and “we owe it as a duty to mould them into responsible adults.”
He said their service to the students should therefore be rendered professionally and on merit without any strings attached.
He advised female students especially, to work hard towards achieving their long-held aspirations, and to refrain from acts of self-advertisement with the view to obtaining undeserved favours from staff or other male students.
“For instance, desist from the attitude of “dressing to kill” so as not to become too conspicuous to males with wicked sexual intentions,” he added.
Prof Nayrko said during the 2019/2020 admissions exercise, the University offered admission to 890 postgraduate and undergraduate applicants from both member and non-member countries, out of which 577 which is 64.8 per cent accepted and have thus registered.
The number of students enrolled is made up of 54 postgraduate and 523 undergraduate students and of the total figure, 465 are males and 112 are females.
The Vice-Chancellor said it was significant to note that admission of females into the sea-going programmes of Nautical Science and Marine Engineering has increased from eight last academic year to sixteen for this academic year.
“This means that the University’s drive of encouraging more females to take up sea-going programmes is achieving good results,” he said.
Source: GNA