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Disruptive Student Behavior

Identifying Disruptive Student Behavior

Disruptive student behavior is behavior that interferes with the educational process of other students or prevents faculty or staff from performing their professional responsibilities. 

Specific examples of disruptive behavior include, but are not limited to the following:

• A student who physically confronts another person
• A student who verbally abuses another student
• A student who physically destroys or vandalizes property
• A student who interrupts the classroom process by:
  • making remarks out of turn
  • taking over the lecture
  • dominating classroom discussion
  • using cell phones, pagers, or other electronic devices in the class
  • consistently being late to class or leaving class early
  • shuffling of papers or book  

Interventions for Disruptive Behavior

Securing a safe environment is always the top priority. 

 

If you have a situation that needs immediate assistance by Campus Authorities, contact UNM Campus Police at 277-2241 or at 911 from any campus phone. 
Should you have a cell phone and call 911, you will need to be transferred to the UNM Campus Police. 

The University Faculty/Staff member may find the following procedures helpful when dealing with a disruptive student:

• Talk with the student about their behavior, immediately if needed, but preferably in private.
• Should you feel uncomfortable speaking with the student alone, ask your chair/dean or another staff member to sit in on the meeting. If you feel this is not necessary, but still have hesitation concerning your meeting, you may leave your office door open and have another staff member near by.
• The instructor should follow up this conversation with a written summation of the meeting, complete with a deadline to change the disruptive behavior and consequences should the behavior continue. A copy should be sent to your Chair/Dean and to the student involved.
• If the behavior does not change, then follow through with your consequences, which could include dropping the student from the course and referring the incident to the Dean of Students Office. The incident may be cause to charge the student with a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.

Some procedures for immediate intervention in the classroom or offices of the university are:

• Verbal request to stop the behavior.
• Verbal request to leave.
• Call the UNM Campus Police.