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[mountainguy]

Assuming the OP is serious, I think it would depend on the nature of the trip. If the faculty member and student are traveling by plane or other public transport and staying in separate hotel rooms, I don't see a conflict of interest. If, however, the trip is by car, I would say it would be best to add another adult to the trip or to make arrangements for the student to travel separately.

In my little corner of academia, it's not entirely unheard of for faculty to travel with students. It happens  regularly in the world competitive speech/debate, and I suspect that it happens regularly in fine arts contexts (such as music or theater performance). The usual rules of professionalism apply. The more worrisome aspect here would be traveling alone with a student for an extended period of time.

[oldfullprof]

Only if both are heterosexual.  (Nice thread, Olive!)

[lizardmom1]

It's fine so long as she wears a burqa so as not to inflame his passions. 

What if HE wants to be the burqa-wearer so as to avoid inflaming her passions? Or, could BOTH wear a burqua to avoid inflaming all of our passions?

[oldfullprof]

Both should drink liberal amounts of either (1) saltpeter or (2) depo-provera.  That oughta put a stop to any shenanigans.

[cletus_spuckler]

Stupid question, but lascivious, so I'll bite.

1. Is the male gay? Sure.
2. Is the female gay? Sure.
3. Is the male a gentleman of good character? Sure.
4. Is the female a lady of good character? Sure.
5. Is the male one who would have sex with a female student if given the chance? No.
6. Is the female one who would have sex with a male instructor if given the chance? No.

That said, if they wanted to have sex, I don't quite see how a trip would be necessary.

[virgo_imperfecta]

Why not? Regardless of the gender, the faculty member should not abuse their position of power, and if everyone acts like responsible, professional adults, there's no problem.

I do see a problem with the heteronormativity, misogyny and presumption of sexuality in this question, though.

Then you're going to be in for a pretty rude shock when you manage to transition to the actual world.

Young male faculty members should not travel with young lady students. Period. End of discussion.  Oh, and keep your office door open at all times.

Let's unpack your ridiculous statement here:
1. Women are always sexual victims, men are sexual beasts.
2. A female faculty member would never take advantage of a young male student (or if it occurred, it would be a cause for celebration for the male);
3. As soon as two opposite gendered people are alone together, sex must and will occur.
4. Sexual orientation makes absolutely no difference.

As for keeping the door to an office open at all times, at my school that policy applies across the board regardless of the gender of the faculty member or the student. It's not just about the potential for sexual misconduct.

[biologist_]

Is it appropriate for a young male staff/faculty to travel alone with one young female student on official college business for multiple days?

It is not only inappropriate, but impossible. 

If the young male staff/faculty is traveling alone, then he is not traveling with one young female student.

If he is traveling with one young female student, then he is not traveling alone.

[august_leo]

FWIW, I once went to a conference in Japan with 2 other female students (I'm female) and one male faculty member (late 40s?). It was a major biennial conference in my field, but because of the location most people in my department who would normally go skipped that year.

The other 2 students shared a room and I shared a room with the male faculty member (two beds). He was married and by then I was happily dating my now-husband. It was all fine, even the few nights when the 4 of us stayed in another city to site see before the conference (same room arrangement in both cities).

That faculty member is now divorced and has moved to a new university where his former PhD student landed a job after her post-doc far from Grad School Uni (she didn't come on the Japan trip). It's pretty clear they are a couple. But, I repeat, nothing happened between us because we were adults and acted as professionally as one can.

Maybe if the ages were closer and he hadn't been married it might have seemed more inappropriate.

[tinyzombie]

Is it appropriate for a young male staff/faculty to travel alone with one young female student on official college business for multiple days?

It is not only inappropriate, but impossible. 

If the young male staff/faculty is traveling alone, then he is not traveling with one young female student.

If he is traveling with one young female student, then he is not traveling alone.

I heart you, biologist.

[geogeek]

It's not inappropriate if the faculty and student have separate sleeping arrangements and the faculty member behaves professionally. Given that mine is a male-dominated field, I would never get any fieldwork done if I worried about things like this.  I would have also never been able to do my PhD research!

[torshi]

I think this is a question that the young male faculty/staff member should ask his chair or supervisor about.  What is routine in one place may raise eyebrows and questions somewhere else.

[spyzowin]

Why not? Regardless of the gender, the faculty member should not abuse their position of power, and if everyone acts like responsible, professional adults, there's no problem.

I do see a problem with the heteronormativity, misogyny and presumption of sexuality in this question, though.

Then you're going to be in for a pretty rude shock when you manage to transition to the actual world.

Young male faculty members should not travel with young lady students. Period. End of discussion.  Oh, and keep your office door open at all times.

Fixed that for you.

You're joking, right? Because it isn't very funny.

For every case of a male student falsely accusing a female professor of sexual harassment, there are probably ten or even hundred cases where female students falsely accuse male professors. This is a majority female problem. Men have to protect themselves.

[spyzowin]

Why not? Regardless of the gender, the faculty member should not abuse their position of power, and if everyone acts like responsible, professional adults, there's no problem.

I do see a problem with the heteronormativity, misogyny and presumption of sexuality in this question, though.

Then you're going to be in for a pretty rude shock when you manage to transition to the actual world.

Young male faculty members should not travel with young lady students. Period. End of discussion.  Oh, and keep your office door open at all times.

Let's unpack your ridiculous statement here:
1. Women are always sexual victims, men are sexual beasts.
2. A female faculty member would never take advantage of a young male student (or if it occurred, it would be a cause for celebration for the male);
3. As soon as two opposite gendered people are alone together, sex must and will occur.
4. Sexual orientation makes absolutely no difference.

As for keeping the door to an office open at all times, at my school that policy applies across the board regardless of the gender of the faculty member or the student. It's not just about the potential for sexual misconduct.

ha ha ha

1. I never suggested that the woman would be the victim. I'm actually assuming it would be the man. He would be a victim of a false accusation.

2. The male student, even if he rebuffed the advance, probably wouldn't try to ruin the female professor's career.

3. It may be hit or miss that sexual tension exists between male and female heterosexuals, but the mere appearance of impropriety is impropriety as far as sexual mores are concerned.

4. Exactly. I can think of at least two gay friends who have been accused of hitting on their female students in pathetic attempts to extort higher grades.

All male faculty should be on constant guard against false accusations from female students. It is best to be overly cautious than to get caught up in a crappy real life production of Oleanna.

[slac_vap]

I think my sarcasm detector must be on the fritz today, because I honestly can't tell which of you are being serious.

I am young (early 30s- so I think I'm young, but probably my students think I'm ancient). I mentor research students, and sometimes travel is required for presentation of our work at conferences. I go. They go. We stay in separate rooms. It's all fine.

A male colleague is also my age and mentors research students. He takes them to different conferences. Same story. No big deal.

[virgo_imperfecta]

Let's unpack your ridiculous statement here:
1. Women are always sexual victims, men are sexual beasts.
2. A female faculty member would never take advantage of a young male student (or if it occurred, it would be a cause for celebration for the male);
3. As soon as two opposite gendered people are alone together, sex must and will occur.
4. Sexual orientation makes absolutely no difference.

As for keeping the door to an office open at all times, at my school that policy applies across the board regardless of the gender of the faculty member or the student. It's not just about the potential for sexual misconduct.

ha ha ha

1. I never suggested that the woman would be the victim. I'm actually assuming it would be the man. He would be a victim of a false accusation.

2. The male student, even if he rebuffed the advance, probably wouldn't try to ruin the female professor's career.

3. It may be hit or miss that sexual tension exists between male and female heterosexuals, but the mere appearance of impropriety is impropriety as far as sexual mores are concerned.

4. Exactly. I can think of at least two gay friends who have been accused of hitting on their female students in pathetic attempts to extort higher grades.

All male faculty should be on constant guard against false accusations from female students. It is best to be overly cautious than to get caught up in a crappy real life production of Oleanna.
[/quote]

Oh, so you're going with the "all women are manipulative whores" trope. Sorry for the misunderstanding. You realize that this is just as problematic and misogynistic, right?