Advocate Online

Yes, if the student's lack of decorum disrupts teaching and learning, the grade should suffer.
Frances Jellinek Myers *

When disruptive behavior began in my classes, about four years ago, I had no idea that this was the beginning of a trend.

I thought that students might not know what was expected and so I began to address the problem by discussing acceptable behavior.

When this approach didn't work, I made decorum weigh into the final grade, explaining fully in class and in the syllabus why I was doing this. Conduct such as arriving on time and waiting for formal dismissal, not leaving class unless there is a substantiated health problem, keeping electronic devices disabled, and making thoughtful, not pejorative, comments are all included in my definition of proper classroom decorum.

The first time an incident occurs I remind students that the offending behavior is unacceptable and that if there is another occurrence they will be asked to leave.

I make a note of what has happened but do not "hold it against the student" unless the behavior is repeated. If it is, the student is asked to leave the class, and the result might be an "F" in the behavior category as well as a failing grade in other categories, such as the assignment based on the day's work. There is absolutely no discussion at this time other than my encouraging the offending students to talk to me during my office hours.

The exact weighting of this grade deduction has to be enough to make a difference when tabulating a final grade. Being asked to leave twice, for instance, would make a final grade go from a B to a C.

So far, being asked to leave once has solved the problem, and most students seem relieved when the disruption ceases.

*Frances Jellinek Myers has been a professor in the Department of Theatre/Dance at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton since 1969. She is a member of the United Faculty of Florida.

No, student decorum should not affect the grade a student receives for a course.
Richard Asam *

Issues of proper behavior and acceptable language usage may be an appropriate part of the grading criteria for a presentation course or in public speaking course assignments, but, in general, the question of good behavior in class should be dealt with through the student conduct code and not the gradebook.

This is not to minimize the importance of proper student behavior. Misbehavior affects classroom instruction and the rights of students. But let's keep the question in perspective. Acceptable student conduct is a highly subjective matter dependent on a professor's sensitivity, the setting, and the student's perception of provocation.

Moreover, from personal experience dealing with students with Tourette's Syndrome and Asperger's Disorder, I have found that violations of decorum may be the product of biological causes and not reflect a personal decision to be disruptive.

Finally, basing part of a grade on student decorum reinforces the belief that a bad grade may have been awarded only because "the professor didn't like me."

In the University of Maine system, the Student Conduct Code is applicable to a student interfering with a professor's performance of official responsibilities. Disciplinary action, depending on the severity of the infraction, ranges from censure to dismissal.

But, usually, a word to the wise is usually enough to bring about a modification of behavior.

In short, the student affairs office is much better equipped to deal with student violations of decorum than is a professor wielding the blunt instrument of a course grade.

*Richard Asam is a professor of communication at the University of Maine at Presque Isle and a past president of the UM-Presque Isle Chapter of the Associated Faculties of the University of Maine.