Resources for Staff and Faculty

• Addressing Student Behavior Card (PDF)

Do’s and Don’ts for Staff and Faculty

Do’s

• Let the student know when his or her behavior is inappropriate or disruptive. This will give the student a chance to modify that behavior.
• Meet with the student in private. If you are concerned about meeting with the student alone for any reason, request another faculty member or administrator sit in on the meeting.
• After discussing a student’s conduct with him or her, follow up by sending the student an e-mail summarizing the discussion. This is a way of documenting the steps you took to address the student’s behavior.
• If a student is in emotional distress, let him or her know about the Personal Counseling Center. If you’re able to, offer to walk the student to the center.
• Call Public Safety immediately if a student’s behavior becomes aggressive or threatening.

Don’ts

• Do not have what should be a private conversation in front of other students—discussing a student’s behavior with him or her should be a private matter.
• Do not grade a student based on behavior. A student’s academic grade should be based on the grading rubric outlined in the course syllabus.
• Do not ban a student from coming back to class or an office permanently—this is a violation of the student’s due process rights. Before any permanent action can be taken, a written complaint (Student Behavior Form) must be submitted to the Office of Judicial Affairs so that the disciplinary process can be initiated.
• Do not copy other staff or faculty members (with the exception of your chair or supervisor) when reporting a student’s behavior via e-mail. Any report or complaint must be kept confidential.