Disruptive Students
Delta College strives to create a diverse learning environment based upon integrity, respect, and the civil exchange of ideas and information. Behaviors which jeopardize the educational process or College functions, impinge on the rights of other members of the College community, or that could possibly endanger the safety of others are considered disruptive and are not acceptable. The failure to comply with a reasonable directive of a classroom faculty or staff member is also considered disruptive.
Policy
When disruptive behavior occurs, the faculty or staff member should take the appropriate actions outlined in the Delta College Procedures Manual under the Disruptive Student Behavior section. The faculty member has the authority to require that a student exit the classroom, laboratory, or other area used for instruction for the remainder of the class period. Faculty who impose a one-day suspension should report the incident to his or her Associate Dean for appropriate action and documentation.
When disruptive behavior occurs in other College areas, a staff member should report this behavior to his or her supervisor for appropriate action and documentation. If his or her supervisor is not available and a staff member takes action under this policy, the staff member should report this event to the supervisor at the next level.
Additional contact may be made with Public Safety, the Vice President of Student & Educational Services and/or the Vice President of Instruction & Learning Services, and/or the Behavioral Intervention Review Board. A student who is disruptive may be subject to additional disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from the College, under established procedures.
Procedures
Disruptive conduct taints the educational atmosphere and may endanger the safety of students and staff. Accordingly, when student conduct creates a serious enough disruption such that the only reasonable solution is removal of the student, a student may be temporarily removed from a class/campus area, permanently removed from the class/campus area, or expelled from class/campus. All persons involved in implementing this policy and procedure should exercise caution to ensure that the behavior is severe enough to warrant the response and that the student is afforded appropriate due process consisting of notice and an opportunity to be heard.
The disruptive student policy and accompanying procedures assume that the faculty/staff will make every attempt to resolve this issue with the student through such informal methods as individual conferences and/or written messages. If these informal methods have not met with success, the following formal procedures will be implemented:
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- The student will be verbally warned by the faculty or staff member that the student's behavior is considered to be disruptive (describe the behavior to which the faculty/staff member is referring) and that if the student continues the behavior, he/she will be asked to leave the class/ campus area.
- If the student persists with the disruptive behavior, the faculty/staff member can
then ask the student to leave the class or campus area. At this time the faculty/staff
must warn the student that failure to leave may result in police intervention. The
faculty/staff must indicate whether the suspension is just for that day or if the
student must appeal to the appropriate Associate Dean/Supervisor to reenter the
class/campus area. - If after the previous verbal warnings the student continues to demonstrate disruptive behavior, the faculty/staff has the option to summon the appropriate police agency who will have the option of arresting the student for criminal trespass, if necessary. The faculty/staff member's request for the student to leave provides the police agency with sufficient probable cause to effect an arrest.
- The faculty/staff will notify his/her Associate Dean or immediate supervisor in writing
within twenty-four (24) hours of any removal from the class/campus area. The written
report must include the student's identity and the behavior that was considered to
be disruptive and witnesses to the behavior. Sufficient detail must be provided to
allow the Chair/Supervisor to assess whether or not the policy and this
procedure was followed. - Upon receipt of this notice, the Associate Dean/Supervisor must immediately attempt to contact the student by phone, with a follow-up by e-mail, notifying him/her of the opportunity to explain the incident from the student's point of view. In addition, this notice will include the date by which the student must respond back to the Associate Dean/Supervisor (or designee) or else forfeit his/her right to appeal. Generally, the student will be given three (3) class* days to respond in person, by phone, or mail (postmarked).
- Within twenty-four (24) hours of the conclusion of the meeting to review the removal, the Chair/Supervisor will decide if the removal was justified. The Chair/Supervisor may find it necessary to consult with other College employees, students, or records for additional information upon which to base his/her decision. The Chair/Supervisor may support or deny the removal, or make other arrangements for the student.
- Expulsion from the college is an extraordinary remedy that must be approved by the Chair/Supervisor, the appropriate Dean, and either the Vice President of Instruction or the Vice President of Student and Educational Services.
- The decision will be conveyed to the student and the faculty/staff member who caused the removal as soon as possible, either in person or by phone or e-mail. A written confirmation of the decision will be sent to both the staff member and the student within three (3) class days.
- Within three class days of the receipt of the written decision, the student or the faculty/staff member may appeal the decision in person, by phone, by email or in writing to the appropriate decision maker (identified in the written decision) whose decision will be final.
- Each step of the process should proceed as quickly as possible, while maintaining fairness and objectivity.