DEALING WITH INCIDENTALS OF DISRUPTIVE STUDENT BEHAVIOR IN THE CLASSROOM
PREAMBLE
This document is intended to help assure each student and course instructor at CSUS that the classroom environment is supportive of teaching and learning by providing procedures for dealing with the problem of the student who is perceived to be disruptive in the classroom. The document is also intended to provide due process in the treatment of the student who is involved in an incident of disruptive behavior in the classroom. Should any provision of the policy appear to be in conflict with existing legal statues or administrative regulations or should the policy be silent on an issue, those statutes and regulations shall govern.
DEFINITION
A disruptive student is a student who engages in behavior in the classroom that interferes with the process of teaching and learning.
PROCEDURE FOR DEALING WITH INCIDENTS OF DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR
A. Any student whose classroom behavior is judged by the instructor to be disruptive shall be informed by the instructor that his/her actions are disruptive. The instructor shall explain how the behavior disrupts the teaching/learning process, inform the student that if the behavior continues it will be reported to the Campus Student Discipline Coordinator, and request that the student cease the behavior. This explanation and request may take place in the classroom at the time of the behavior or at another time and place deemed appropriate by the instructor (e.g. during office hours).
B. A student may be dismissed by the instructor from any class period in which disruptive behavior persists following the instructor's request that it cease. Attendance at subsequent class period is allowed unless the disruptive behavior continues. If the student refuses a request by the instructor to leave the classroom following persistent disruptive behavior, the University Police should be called.
C. If, anytime, the instructor believes the student poses a physical threat to him/her or to other students, the University Police should be called.
D. If a student's disruptive behavior continues following the request that it cease, the instructor shall refer the case to the Campus Student Discipline Coordinator for handling. The Coordinator will deal with the case according to established student discipline procedures. Dis-enrollment from the class is a discipline sanction that may be used.
E. A student involved in an incident of disruptive behavior who believes he/she has been improperly treated may seek relief though established department, school, and university student grievance procedures.
F. If a course instructor is unsatisfied at any point in the handling of an incident of disruptive behavior prior to its final resolution, he/she should contact the Campus Student Discipline Coordinator to discuss the matter.
G. If the final resolution of the incident is unsatisfactory to the instructor, he/she may request an administrative review by the Dean of Students and the dean of the instructor's school. If agreement between the deans cannot be reached, the matter shall be referred to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for resolution.
