In order to foster a campus culture of respect and civility, it is important to articulate expectations, encourage discussion, and respond to problems consistently. Faculty members encounter fewer problems with student behavior when they clearly state their expectations about the importance of respectful classroom behavior. The following statement can be used by faculty members in their course materials and early class discussions. While the University environment is a place where the free exchange of ideas and concepts can take place in an atmosphere which allows for debate and disagreement, all classroom behavior and discourse should reflect the values of respect and civility. Both students and the course instructors share the responsibility to maintain an appropriate learning environment that reflects these values.
Students have both the right to learn and the responsibility to participate in the learning process.
Faculty members are encouraged to respond to behaviors which are disruptive to the academic environment, and they may require students to leave the class pending discussion and resolution of the concerns. Whether these specific statements are used or not, faculty members should make their individual classroom expectations clear. Media telephones, located in many of the academic classrooms, can be used as emergency telephones. Ask Instructional Services personnel to immediately summon CSU Police. The average CSU police emergency response time to on-campus locations is under two minutes.