Every faculty member and student has the right to conditions favorable to teaching and learning both in and out of the classroom. To foster and maintain such conditions, students have the responsibility to conduct themselves, individually and in groups, in a manner which promotes an atmosphere conducive to teaching, studying, and learning. Students are expected to uphold academic and personal integrity, to respect the rights of others, and to refrain from disruptive, threatening, intimidating, or harassing behavior, or behavior which is harmful to themselves, other persons, or property. Faculty have the right and responsibility to foster an environment conducive to teaching and learning, and should this be threatened by student behavior, faculty are authorized and encouraged to initiate the following steps:

1. A private discussion with the student during which the faculty member describes the unwanted behavior, explains why it is inappropriate, and specifies expectations for future student behavior.
2. Initiation of a formal meeting with the student, the student’s academic advisor, and/or the Dean of Students or the dean’s designee.
3. Request, through the Dean of Students, that the student be withdrawn from the class.
4. Initiation of other disciplinary action, in coordination with the Dean of Students, by means of the appropriate judicial processes.

The above faculty action steps may be taken in order, and/or initiated at any level. It is important for faculty to notify students of potential disruptive behavior consequences at each level throughout the faculty action step process. Consequences may include: progressive faculty action steps, student referral to counseling, and/or formal behavior contracting. Faculty are encouraged to resolve disruptive student behavior issues at the earliest step possible. Finally, as a further point of clarification, for the purposes of this policy, faculty are defined as any instructional personnel employed by the university.