Student Disruptive and Threatening Behavior Guidelines
for Faculty and Staff

To help clarify the difference between disruptive and threatening behavior and the course of action to be taken with either behavior, the Dean of Students Office has created the following guidelines.

Please Note:
WHENEVER THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO THE SAFETY OF ANY PERSON, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CONTACT THE POLICE IMMEDIATELY!

Disruptive Behavior: It is conduct that materially and substantially interferes with or obstructs the teaching or learning process in the context of a classroom or educational setting.

Examples of Disruptive Student Behavior

Preventing Disruptive Behavior

What To Do - Recommendations for Intervention

Threatening Behavior: It is any statement, communication, conduct or gesture, including those in written form, directed toward any member of the University community that causes a reasonable apprehension of physical harm to a person or property.

Examples of Threatening Student Behavior

What to Do - Procedures for Mandatory Reporting

Meeting with a Threatening or Potentially Violent Student

A complete pdf version of these guidelines can be printed at:

Disruptive and Threatening Student Behavior/guidelines for faculty and staff