Faculty/Staff Conduct and Etiquette

For all situations where there is concern for active physical threats or disruptive behavior, we need you to submit a report in the conduct referral form:
Conduct Referral Form →

If this report is related to an incident of interpersonal violence (sexual harassment, stalking, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, retaliation), please use the Title IX Incident Report Form.

Classroom Management Statement

The classroom environment is a vital part of learning, whether you’re teaching in-person or online. Each person in the class will bring a different perspective and background, which we all hope will provide an environment that supports all students. Students, staff, and faculty bring their lives into the academic spaces and there are times that what’s going on outside of the classroom will have an impact inside the classroom.

While each situation is different, we want to ensure that you know about and have access to resources to help you succeed. The Associate Director of Student Care & Community Standards is here to support you and can be consulted to work through a current situation and to explore strategies and resources that might be helpful tools for you and your students. Below you will find some tips for having tough conversations with students in support of classroom management. 

When dealing with a difficult student situation adapted from University of Louisville:

• Try not to personalize the situation: take a breath and look at the situation as objectively as possible.
• Identify the specific behavior of concern.
• Look for the educational opportunity. An educational conversation from an instructor a can have a lasting impact on a student. Look for the opportunity to dialogue about the situation.
• Address inappropriate, disruptive, or concerning behavior from the beginning. If you have a concern, do not wait to see if it happens again.
• Use ”I” statements:
• "I am happy to discuss this/speak with you about this matter, however…”
• "I hear that you are frustrated, however…”
• "I recognize how frustrated you are and I want to work with you. We need to take a step back for a minute so we can look at this situation together."
• Repeat the statement calmly two times. The third time, add, "I am going to end this conversation. I do not…
• "I do not/will not speak with another adult who is yelling (cursing, etc); and/or
• as an educator, I do not/will not speak to someone who uses vulgar/crass/inappropriate/disrespectful language.”
• Maintain notes and submit referrals when needed, of interactions with difficult students.

Tips

• Use the first class session to cover expectations – Be as clear as possible about what is expected in class and how students will earn their grade
• Help manage expectations – Be clear about what you can and cannot provide. Include syllabus statements included on this page and consider adding our website link on your syllabus.
• Address behavior concerns promptly – Contact your Student Conduct & Retention Coordinator for support and fill out a report online. A Behavior Clarification Plan can often be a helpful step for students to understand what you’ve noticed and how they can improve their behaviors in class.
• Follow up with students (in person or through email) – When possible, it is best practice to follow-up in writing around expectations so that both you and the student are clear about what is expected moving forward. This will help you both have a better term! Consider contacting your Student Conduct & Retention Coordinator for support with this if you aren’t sure how to best write this email.
• We all have a different lens we view the world through. Helping to see where your student is at – academically, socially, and environmentally – will help you to support this student and provide an environment where all of your students have equitable access to education.
• Sometimes in class, there are different belief systems and there is a difference at the college between hate speech and free speech- for further information, reach out to the Dean of your unit or VP Instruction.
• Faculty members have the authority to take appropriate action to maintain order and proper conduct in the classroom and to maintain the effective cooperation of students in fulfilling the objectives of the course.
• Bringing any person, thing, or object to a teaching and learning environment that may disrupt the environment or cause a safety or health hazard, without the express approval of the faculty member is expressly prohibited.
• Faculty members or college administrators have the right to suspend any student from any single class or related activity for no more than one instructional day, if the student's misconduct creates disruption to the point that it is difficult or impossible to maintain the decorum of the class, related activity, or the learning and teaching environment. The faculty member or college administrator shall report this suspension to the student conduct officer or designee on the same day of the suspension. In consultation with the faculty member, the student conduct officer may set conditions for the student upon return to the class or activity.

Student Conduct Officer

The Student Conduct Officer provides support for you and our students for addressing behaviors in the following areas:

• Academic misconduct such as cheating, plagiarism, etc.
• Classroom management issues that result in one day suspension from the class
• Theft
• Physical Altercations
• Property Damage
• And more