DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR POLICY

DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR POLICY

It is important that you become familiar with the Student Conduct Code. You can access and read it here or ask your Division Chair or the Dean of Student Services Office (2nd floor Building 6, x235) for a copy. From time to time, you may encounter a student or non-student who is disruptive in the learning environment. The decisions you make will depend on your professional discretion and your perception of the disruption. Neither exclusively nor inclusively binding, the intent of these recommendations is to provide you with a proactive-framework that can assist you in making your own decisions. These recommendations are currently under review by the Committee on Student Affairs (COSA). If they accept them as written or with changes, the recommended document will be forwarded to the Faculty Council Executive Committee (FCEC) for their review and acceptance. If accepted the amended recommendations will be replace this present document.

Please read about how to deal with threats of physical violence.

Definition of Disruptive Behavior:

Disruptive behavior is behavior which Honolulu Community College regards as speech or action which 1) is disrespectful, offensive, and/or threatening, 2) interferes with the learning activities of other students, 3) impedes the delivery of College services, and;or 4) has a negative impact in any learning environment - including department and staff offices, the Library, the Computing Center, the Learning Assistance Centers, labs, clinical sites, service learning sites, etc. Disruptive behavior includes physically, verbally or psychologically harassing, threatening, or acting abusively toward an instructor, staff member, or toward other students in any activity authorized by the College. Disruptive behavior-also includes any other behavior covered by the Student Conduct Code.

Preconditions for Effective Classroom Management

At the beginning of the semester, students can be made aware of the instructor's expectations and standards for appropriate classroom behavior. Instructors can inform students of the Student Conduct Code and the consequences for violation of this code. The course syllabus may be an effective tool to correlate appropriate behavior to course objectives and/or program competencies.

Emergency plans of action for the classroom that deal with crisis situations could be articulated by the instructor at the beginning of each semester. This plan may include -

designated student assistants to get help from campus Security (x142, x245 or x273) or Police (9-911) via phone, or by attracting attention of other faculty/staff/students in the vicinity;
establish a cooperative effort, buddy system, or strategy among faculty/staff members who are located in close proximity to assist each other in emergency or crisis situations;
know the names and phone numbers of the on-duty evening administrators;
inform your colleagues, Division Chair, Security, and/or the Counseling Office of any potentially disruptive students;
inform Security (x142, x245 or x273) and your Division Chair of your plans to be on campus during off-hours or low activity hours (very early or very late);
be familiar with the location of public and staff phones within your vicinity.

Moderate or Minor Disruption

The behavior is perceived as disruptive, disrespectful, offensive, and/or threatening and interferes with the learning of other students or impedes the delivery of college services. This behavior may include speech or action that is not part of the learning process but is perceived to create an atmosphere of hostility, intimidation, ridicule or anxiety among other students, instructors or staff. The student may be verbally harassing the instructor/staff/students, or making unreasonable demands for attention or special treatment to the detriment of other students in or out of the classroom, or engaging in other behaviors covered in the Student Conduct Code.

The behavior may stem from a conflict with the instructor, staff or another student, from the course itself, or personal problems that may be causing inappropriate behavior. For example, the student deliberately distracts other students from the task at hand, talks loudly out of turn during lecture, monopolizes the discussion, makes disrespectful comments (written or verbal) to the instructor or to another student, comes late and is disruptive settling in, hinders cooperation, harasses or intimidates a college employee or another student, or engages in other behaviors covered in the Student Conduct Code.

Step 1:	Make a reasonable attempt to talk to the student first. Determine whether the disruptive behavior is in any way related to problems that the student is having in class or to other situational factors which the instructor may be able to directly affect. Very often a private conversation with the student can be more productive than a scolding or a warning in the presence of other students.
Step 2:	When the instructor acts reasonably and the student remains disruptive, disrespectful, offensive and/or threatening, the instructor may choose to: write up a contract with the student that clearly identifies behavior and actions for the student to take and the consequences of inappropriate behaviors; contact the Division Chair and/or the Counseling Office, who may choose to consult with the instructor outside of class, observe the behavior in class, meet with the student to discuss the situation, or facilitate a communication process between the instructor and student. Depending on the nature and perception of the disruption, the student may be referred to other support services; and/or ask the student to leave the classroom or learning environment;
Step 3:	If you ask the student to leave, and the student leaves, or refuses to leave, call Security (x142, x245, or x273). Document the incident. Follow up with Security and take proactive measures for your safety.
Step 4:	To take formal action against the student, notify your Division Chair and the Dean of Student Services immediately of this incident in writing.

Special Notes:

Documentation. The instructor should document all incidents of disruptive, disrespectful, offensive and/or threatening behavior as they arise, even though they may appear to be minor at the time. Documentation needs to be objective. Include date, time, location, and persons involved. If you make a subjective judgment about the behavior, substantiate it with objective and specific examples, using direct and accurate quotes and give an explanation of the context in which it was said. A pattern of disruptive behavior can be used to substantiate charges made against the student and/or bring about some mediating action. Submit your documentation to the Dean of Student Services and to your Department Chairperson.
Disciplinary action. Disciplinary actions which the College may impose include a formal warning, probation, suspension and dismissal. An instructor referring a student for disciplinary action does so under the provisions of the Student Conduct Code. This Code stipulates that the Provost may impose disciplinary sanctions upon a student only after a Student Conduct Committee hearing has taken place. However, students whose behavior is disruptive may be subject to immediate disciplinary action in an emergency situation. In such cases the Provost may impose the sanction of suspension prior to a hearing.

For more information, please refer to the Student Conduct Code available here to read or with your Division Chair or in the Dean of Student Services Office.