Section Navigation

• 1 Introduction to the During the Term Section
• 2 Running the Class
  • 2.1 First Class Session
  • 2.2 Add/Drop/Withdraw Procedures
  • 2.3 Student Conduct
  • 2.4 Student Grievances
  • 2.5 At-Risk Students
  • 2.6 Attendance
  • 2.7 Contact Hours
  • 2.8 Re-Scheduling a Class
  • 2.9 Academic Honesty Policy
  • 2.10 Final Exams
  • 2.11 Determining Grades
• 3 Assessment
  • 3.1 Assessing Student Learning
• 4 Academic Support for Students
  • 4.1 The Online Writing Center
  • 4.2 Library Resources and Services
• 5 Other Student Services and Resources
  • 5.1 Career Services
  • 5.2 Student ID Cards
  • 5.3 Dean of Students Office
  • 5.4 Tuition Adjustment
  • 5.5 Student Health Insurance
  • 5.6 Advising and Counseling
• 6 Services for Students with Disabilities
  • 6.1 Disabilities Overview
  • 6.2 Key Legal Terms
  • 6.3 Legally Designated Rights and Responsibilities
  • 6.4 Accommodation Process
  • 6.5 Creating and Maintaining an Accessible University Classroom
• 7 Review of During the Term Section

Student Conduct

This section includes the policies and procedures that govern student behavior at Webster University. This includes a statement of ethics, student rights, student responsibilities, and the disciplinary and judicial procedures that are employed when a violation of the student code of conduct occurs.

Classroom Disruption: What Is It?
Any behavior that impairs the civil learning environment in a course offered by the University is considered disruptive. Faculty and Students have a right to expect a civil learning environment. This environment should be free from harassment and discrimination and free from any other unreasonable interference with their educational experiences.

Students are responsible for their behavior especially when their behavior affects the learning environment of other students. Most students are not ill-mannered, but it only takes a few to create a problem.

Examples of Classroom Disruptions

• Frequently arriving late to class
• Continually leaving and re-entering class without permission
• Loud and distracting noises (talking with others or talking aloud to no one in particular, cell phones and pagers, munching on chips)
• Continually interrupting instructor, or other students
• Grandstanding
• Sleeping in class or poor personal hygiene
• Comments that are: antagonistic or inappropriately argumentative, openly rude or inappropriately critical, threatening or abusive

  Real-life Examples from Webster Faculty (Some Webster instructors have actually had to deal with students doing the following):

  • Taking calls on their cell phones in the middle of class.
  • Attempting to sell merchandise or services to fellow students (one student came into other classes during breaks and tried to get other students to sign up for the mailing list for his company).
  • Bringing their children with them to class and then the children become noisy
  • Attempting to monopolize the discussion during class.
  • Asking the professor repeated off-topic questions during class discussions.
  • Barging into a classroom during a class that they are not enrolled in and demanding the professor help them with an issue at that very moment.
  • Bringing a police scanner radio to class and having the volume turned up loudly.
  • Making threatening or harassing comments to other students and the professor during class when discussions became heated (e.g., a student made a comment like "I can really understand why the kids at Columbine did what they did. I'd like to do the same with people like that.")
  • Making bizarre comments in class that scare other students and the professor.

Prevention of Classroom Disruption
So with all the possibilities of class disruptions, what is an instructor supposed to do? The first step is to try to prevent disruptions in the first place by letting students know what you expect of them while they are in your class.

• Make expectations very clear in the first class.
• Here is a suggested statement for your syllabus:
  "Since every student is entitled to full participation in class without interruption, all students are expected to be in class and prepared to begin on time. All pagers, wireless phones, or other electronic devices must be turned off, or switched to vibrate, when you enter the classroom. Disruption of class, whether by latecomers, noisy devices, or inconsiderate behavior is not acceptable. Students are expected to treat the instructor and other students with dignity and respect, especially in cases where a diversity of opinion arises. Students who engage in disruptive behavior are subject to disciplinary action, including removal from the course."

Responding to Disruptive Behavior

• The Student Code of Conduct supports the instructor's efforts to maintain a civil learning environment in the classroom.
• Instructors have jurisdiction and authority to do what is necessary to preserve the integrity of the classroom at the time incidents occur – including removing the student from the class.
• Instructors should refer persistent offenders to the Academic Dean (or dept. head) for possible permanent removal from the course.
• Instructors can consult with the Student Affairs Judicial Officer, Colette Cummings. She can be reached at (314) 968-7105 or (800) 981-9804. Her email address is cumminco@webster.edu.
• Students can be referred to the Student Affairs for judicial proceedings if their behavior persists.

Procedures

1. Instructor tells student to stop behavior
2. Instructor warns student about behavior (after class)
3. Instructor removes student from class
4. Instructor consults with Associate Dean of Students
5. The Instructor refers the student to the Academic Dean for possible removal from course
6. Appeal to the university judicial body
7. If repeated incidents, student could be referred to the university judicial body for suspension or dismissal

The Academic Dean Review is a procedure by which the Dean reviews the status of the student in a faculty member's course. Please see the Student Code of Conduct for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) Do I have the right to kick out someone who calls me an SOB?

If a student is creating a disturbance that inhibits the learning environment or creates a hostile or threatening environment, you may ask him or her to leave that class session.

2) What if the designated administrator does not take swift action?

If the designated administrator does not take swift action, contact them again. If you don't recieve in a timely fashion a response, contact the next person up the academic chain of command. For delayed action by the dean of a school or college, contact the associate vice president for academic affairs (Jim Staley).

3) How do I handle threats of violence?

Call public safety, ask the offending student to leave the class, dismiss the class, and try to ensure the safety of the other students and yourself.

4) How do I handle a student in class who is obviously drunk, or high?

They should be asked to leave class. Public Safety should be informed; a report should be filed with the Dean of Students office. If you do not have a public safety officer in their building, you should speak with your site director about whom to contact in situations like this. Perhaps there is some form of security personnel or site administrator on duty during class hours. The protocol for this is site specific.

5) When do I involve an administrator?

You involve an administrator when you feel that the problem is serious enough to warrant having the student removed from the course. You should also contact your site director and the Dean of Students office to report significant instances of classroom disruption, even if you do not want the student removed from the course. This will help us to keep track of problem behavior with students.

6) How do I handle disruptive or harassing e-mail?

Handle these similarly to how you would handle in-class disruptions. First, tell the student what your expectations are for their behavior. Tell them to stop the offending behavior. If the behavior persists, inform them of the potential consequences. Be sure to keep copies of all of the correspondence.