Sexual harassment complaints are challenges to the abuse of power in certain kinds of communicative relationships, and sexual harassment policies and procedures are ways of defining the responsible exercise of power and providing the means to address grievances that result from irresponsible and potentially harmful uses of power in those relationships. Harassment in colleges and universities can be particularly abusive, especially in relationships between faculty and students, because of the special character of trust and dependency that exists. Procedural fairness for all parties to a complaint can be assured if guidelines are developed; distributed and communicated widely among faculty, staff, and students; and training takes place. The guidelines should include both formal and informal remedies. Informal communicative remedies work best where the desired outcome is simply to bring the harassment to an end, and not necessarily to punish or expose those accused of harassment. Informal remedies such as mediation, counseling, or facilitated communication among the parties involved often deserve greater consideration either as part of or as alternatives to formal and legal remedies such as filing an appeal. Harassment situations are further complicated by nonhierarchical power relationships (such as harassment between students), resistance to the legitimacy of sexual harassment complaints, and the issue of consensual relationships. (JDD)