Saint Mary’s College is committed to offering an educational environment marked by curiosity, the exchange of varied viewpoints, and respect for the fundamental dignity of all persons. We invite students to bring their full selves to this intellectual community, in the hope that all students will feel truly welcomed to explore ideas and also challenged to grow through their education. As a women’s college, we create classroom environments in which all voices can be heard, including the voices of those who have often been left out of educational spaces. As a Catholic college, we invite students to participate in conversations about issues that matter most to humans across history. As a liberal arts college, we emphasize the value of a broad and deep education that prepares students for their careers and lives beyond Saint Mary’s.
To ensure that all students can participate fully in the classroom community and learn effectively, faculty members and teaching staff have the authority and responsibility to effectively manage their classroom environments, including on-line courses and on-line components of in-person courses.
In order to create productive learning spaces, instructors will establish course norms and behavior expectations, sharing them as part of the syllabus and explaining them at the start of the course. instructors may also determine the time and manner for student questions and expression of points of view in the instructional setting.
All members of the course share the responsibility for maintaining an environment conducive to all learning for all. Students who do not adhere to the behavioral expectations outlined by the instructor (either in the syllabus or at the time the inappropriate behavior occurs) may be subject to discipline in accordance with this policy.
This policy does not replace or preclude any Saint Mary’s College policies (including, but not limited to, Title IX and the Saint Mary’s Student Code of Conduct) or local, state or federal laws concerning unlawful behaviors, whether inside or outside the classroom, including those concerning the health and safety of class members, guest presenters and/or the instructor.
This policy is intended to address access to the class/faculty and potential administrative withdrawal from a class or classes. As merited, cases will be referred to the Student Conduct process for further sanctions. A summary or incident briefly describing the student’s behavior, as well as a copy of all relevant communications should be forwarded to the Dean of Students Office for consideration.
What is disruptive behavior?
Level I disruptive behavior can include:
- Speaking persistently without permission
- Persistently interrupting other speakers
- Verbal and other behavior that distracts the class from the subject of class discussion
- Engaging in distracting behavior that undermines the learning environment (e.g., inappropriate use of electronic devices)
Level II disruptive behaviors can include:
- Threats of any kind
- Personal insults to other students and/or the instructor
- Harassment
- Physical altercations
- Destruction of property
Procedures
Level I Disruption
- For a Level I disruption, faculty should speak with the student as soon as possible following the class meeting. The faculty member shall ask the student to stop the disruptive behavior, review the classroom behavior policy and instruct the student on the behavior that is required in the future. The faculty shall explicitly warn the student that the continuation of such disruptive behavior can result in academic or disciplinary action.
- Written documentation of the disruptive behavior and warning is to be shared with the student, department chair and Dean of Student Academic Services as soon as possible.
- If the student is not disruptive in the classroom for the remainder of the semester, the matter shall be dropped by all parties.
- If a student is disruptive in the same class at any point subsequent to being asked by a faculty member to stop being disruptive, the faculty member may exclude the student from class. The faculty member shall notify the Department Chair and Dean of Student Academic Services of the second incident prompting the exclusion as soon as possible and describe fully the incident.
- The Dean of Student Academic Services will work with the student and faculty member to create a behavior contract that will allow the student to re-enter the classroom. If the student is unwilling to agree with the terms of the behavior contract they will be administratively withdrawn from the course.
- It is the student’s responsibility to make up missed course material; until the matter is resolved, the student should not be penalized for absences and will be given the opportunity to make up missed work.
- If the student violates the agreed upon behavior contract, the faculty member should immediately notify the Dean of Student Academic Services. The Dean of Student Academic Services will investigate the situation. If the student is found to have violated the behavior contract they will be administratively withdrawn from the course. In the case where a student is in multiple classes with the same faculty member, the Dean of Student Academic Services may determine that the situation warrants the student should be administratively withdrawn from all courses with the faculty member.
- If the student is removed from the course, the Dean of Student Academic Services will work with the student to determine whether there is a pathway to continue academic progress.
- When necessary, because of the multiple reports across semesters or classes or because of the escalation of disruptive behavior, the Dean of Academic Student Services will notify the Dean of Students violations that may be considered under the Student Code of Conduct.
- Once a decision is made by the Dean of Student Academic Services or designee, the following will be notified in writing of the decision: the student, the instructor, the department chair, the appropriate division director, and the provost’s office.
- All decisions made by the Dean of Student Academic Services can be appealed to the Provost.
Level II Disruption
- For a Level II disruption, faculty should contact Campus Safety (574 284 5000) to respond to the situation if necessary. Campus Safety may elect to contact outside law enforcement for assistance.
- The faculty member is authorized to exclude the student from the classroom or other academic setting until the matter is resolved.
- Upon excluding a student from the classroom, the faculty member shall file a Maxient Report for review by the Dean of Students. The faculty member shall also notify the Department Chair, the appropriate Division Director and Dean of Student Academic Services of the incident prompting the exclusion as soon as possible.
- In a Level II disruption, the Dean of Student Academic Services and the Dean of Students (or designee) will coordinate to investigate the situation.
- In a Level II disruption, two procedures will proceed concurrently:
- The Dean of Student Academic Services (or designee) and the Academic Standards Committee will determine whether the student can enter into a behavioral contract to re-enter the course or should be administratively withdrawn from the course. In the case where a student is in multiple classes with the same faculty member, the Dean of Student Academic Services may determine that the situation warrants the student should be administratively withdrawn from all courses with the faculty member.
- It is the student’s responsibility to make up missed course material; until the matter is resolved, the student should not be penalized for absences and will be given the opportunity to make up missed work.
- Once a decision is made, the following will be notified in writing of the decision: the student, the instructor, the department chair, the appropriate division director, the Dean of Students and the provost’s office.
- If the student is removed from the course, the Dean of Student Academic Services will work with the student to determine whether there is a pathway to continue academic progress.
- Decisions of the Dean of Academic Student Services, designee and the Academic Standards Committee can be appealed to the Provost. The Provost decision is final.
- The Dean of Students or designee will begin the student conduct process as stated in the Saint Mary’s College Code of Student Conduct
