Guidelines for Addressing Disruptive Student Behavior

What is Disruptive Behavior?

Disruptive behavior includes behavior that interferes with the legitimate instructional, administrative, or service functions of the college.  However, should any behavior threaten the personal safety of any student, faculty member, staff, or administrator, or be displayed with such emotional intensity that it causes fear or concern in others, at that point such behavior is classified as a CRISIS and will necessitate a call to Campus Safety (925) 424-1699.

Preventing Disruptive Behavior in the Educational Setting

Identify and address the disruptive behavior.  Do not be confused with the student’s right to express his/her differing opinions.

It is recommended that the faculty member define the standards of conduct in the course syllabus and thoroughly review with students the behavioral expectations for the class. Examples of unacceptable occurrences in educational settings may include the following:

1. Cheating, plagiarism
2. Conduct that jeopardizes health and safety
3. Tardiness
4. Profanity
5. Pornography
6. Children or pets in class
7. Private conversations or inappropriate displays of affection
8. Uncooperativeness
9. Continually leaving one’s seat
10. Eating and drinking
11. Reading unrelated materials
12. Use of all unauthorized electronic devices, such as walkmans, phones, beepers, pagers, ipods, and music players.
13. Soliciting of funds and/or signatures

For the complete range of disruptive behavior covered by college standards of conduct, review Board Policy 5500, Standards of Student Conduct.

Recommended Faculty Procedure to Handle Student Misconduct

FIRST INCIDENT

***Faculty Member/onsite staff asks the student to stop the disruptive behavior.

SECOND INCIDENT

Faculty member/staff/administrator issues verbal AND written warning to student through campus email, and consults with their Division Dean.

THIRD INCIDENT

Faculty member/staff/administrator removes student from educational setting (class, lab, library) for the remainder of the session and at the individual’s discretion, the following session.

After the student is removed, the faculty member/staff/administrator sends written documentation of Student Removal to Dean of Student Services using the "Disruptive Student Behavior Form."  The submitted form should include written description of incidents and reasons for student removal, and should be forwarded to the Division Dean.  

***Depending on the severity of the misconduct, you may remove a student at any point.

Disruptive Student Behavior
Form

 

Here are the specific policy and procedure regarding student conduct:

• Board Policy 5500 Standards of Student Conduct (pdf)
• Administrative Procedure 5500 Standards of Student Conduct (pdf)
• Administrative Procedure 5520 Student Discipline Procedures (pdf)

To learn more about Board Policy and Administrative Procedures, visit the District's Board Policies webpage.