6,503: Disruptive Behavior

Revised: August 2025

Disruptive Behavior is prohibited. This policy is for non-threatening Disruptive Behavior (in the classroom?). If the Instructor of Record believes the disruptive behavior poses an immediate threat to the safety of the Instructor of Record, the student, or any other students or persons, the Instructor of Record should contact campus police (University Police Department – Northern Command) to report the incident and ask for assistance to remove the student from the class. At the conclusion of the class session, the Instructor of Record should immediately file a conduct report regarding the incident with the Office of Student Conduct and the Student Intervention Team, when appropriate.

Subsection A: Definitions

Disruptive Behavior: For this policy, “Disruptive Behavior” is defined as conduct by a student which occurs during the course (whether in-person or online) that materially and substantially interferes with, obstructs, or is the unauthorized interruption of teaching or the learning process. Examples of Disruptive Behavior include, but are not limited to:
1. Repeated outbursts from a student that disrupts the flow of instruction or prevents concentration on the subject taught
2. Failure to adhere to an instructor’s established classroom policies or instructions
3. Failure to follow laboratory safety rules
4. The continued unauthorized use of any electronic or other noise or light emitting device that disturbs others
Working Days: For this policy, “Working Days” are defined as calendar days, excluding University holidays and weekends.
Department Chair: For this policy, “Department Chair” is defined as the chair, the program director or program coordinator (where there is no chair or program director) of the department or program that is offering the course. In instances where the Department Chair is the Instructor of Record, the reporting shall go to the Dean or the Dean’s designee instead of the Department Chair.
Instructor of Record: For this policy, “Instructor of Record” is the individual listed as the Instructor of Record in the current semester schedule.
Student: For this policy, “Student” refers to any person identified as a student because of their status as enrolled in the institution on a part-time, full-time, or auditing basis.
Online Space: For this policy, “Online Space” refers to a digital component of the course (asynchronous or synchronous) including but not limited to video conferencing tools, chat, and discussion board.

Subsection B: Disruptive Behavior Procedures and Sanctions

Should the Instructor of Record elect to withdraw a student from a course for Disruptive Behavior, the following procedures must be followed:

Procedures for Removal of Student for Disruptive Behavior
1. The Instructor of Record shall verbally warn the student that their behavior is disruptive and that it must cease immediately or the student may face removal from the classroom or online space.
2. If a student fails to comply with the Instructor of Record’s warning and engages in Disruptive Behavior again, the Instructor of Record shall direct the student to leave the classroom or online space for the remainder of that particular session of the class.
  1. If the student refuses, the Instructor of Record may summon the University Police Department – Northern Command to escort the student from the classroom.
  2. If it is an online class, faculty may temporarily disable learning management systems (LMS) functions for that class period to prevent the student from further activity.
3. The Instructor of Record shall document the incident and the directive to the student to cease the behavior and send the written incident report to the student via WebCampus and/or their official University email (@unr.edu).
  1. The incident report shall include a warning to the student that the next incident of Disruptive Behavior may result in the student’s administrative withdrawal from the course for the semester.
4. If after receiving the incident report with the warning, the student continues to engage in Disruptive Behavior during class sessions, the Instructor of Record shall direct the student to leave the classroom or online space for the remainder of the class.
  1. If the student refuses, the Instructor of Record may summon the University Police Department – Northern Command to escort the student from the classroom and/or dismiss the class.
  2. If it is an online class, faculty may temporarily disable the LMS functions for that class period to prevent the student from further activity and/or dismiss the class.
5. The Instructor of Record also may make a request for an administrative withdrawal from the course for the semester pursuant to the process stated in Subsection B(2).
Request for Administrative Withdrawal from the Course for the Semester
1. If the Instructor of Record believes that withdrawing the student from the course for the remainder of the semester is the appropriate action, the Instructor of Record shall, within one (1) Working Day of asking the student to leave the class and/or dismissing the class for Disruptive Behavior, and in consultation with the Department Chair, make a written request to the Dean of the college/school or designee that the student be dropped from the course.
2. The written request shall include and document the specific Disruptive Behavior(s) and also demonstrate the Instructor of Record complied with the procedural steps as stated in Subsection B(1). The written request shall be sent by the Instructor of Record, the Department Chair, and the Office of Student Conduct at the same time it is sent to the Dean of the college/school or designee of the relevant college/school. The Department Chair shall notify the student within one (1) Working Day of receiving the Instructor of Record’s written request, that the incident has been submitted to the Dean of the college/school for a decision on whether the student should be removed from the course, and that the student may return to the class until the issue is resolved, provided that the student refrain from further Disruptive Behavior. This notice from the Department Chair shall include a written description of the Disruptive Behavior complained of and a copy of UAM 6,502 Policy for Academic Standards, which includes a description of the appeals process for Disruptive Behavior.
3. The Dean of the college/school shall consult with the Dean of Students and the other appropriate University personnel such as the Director of the Disability Resource Center and the Office of General Counsel to determine if the requirements for a formal removal process as described in Subsection B(1) have been met. The consultation shall occur within two (2) Working Days of the Dean of the college/school or designee receipt of the written request from the Instructor of Record.
4. If the requirements have not been met, the Dean of the college/school or designee shall notify the Instructor of Record, the Department Chair, and the Office of Student Conduct within two (2) Working Days of the consultation with the Dean of Students and other appropriate University personnel, that the request is denied on the grounds that the requirements for the formal removal process have not been met.
5. If the requirements have been met for the formal removal process, the Dean of the college/school or designee shall determine whether the student should be removed from the course.
6. If the Dean of the college/school or designee determines that the student has engaged in Disruptive Behavior and is to be removed from the course, the Dean of the college/school or designee shall notify the student in writing of the decision (“Removal Decision”). The Removal Decision shall be sent to the student within two (2) Working Days of the consultation with the Dean of Students and other appropriate University personnel. The Removal Decision shall include:
  1. A written description of the Disruptive Behavior complained of
  2. The Disruptive Behavior policy that was followed and where it is located in the UAM
  3. That the student has the right to appeal the Removal Decision
  4. That if the student decides to appeal the Removal Decision, they shall notify the Executive Vice President & Provost or designee in writing within three (3) Working Days from the date of the Removal Decision
  5. That if the student appeals the Removal Decision, the student shall not attend class during the appeal process
7. The Removal Decision shall be emailed, at a minimum, to the student’s official University email (@unr.edu). If the Removal Decision is delivered as prescribed, it is deemed received. A copy of the Removal Decision also shall be sent to the Instructor of Record, the Department Chair, and the Office of Student Conduct.
Appeal
1. The student may appeal the Removal Decision to the Executive Vice President & Provost. The student’s appeal must be received by the Executive Vice President & Provost within three (3) Working Days from the date of the Removal Decision. The student shall not attend class during the appeal process.
2. Such appeals shall be in writing (Statement of Appeal) and emailed to the Executive Vice President & Provost. Grounds for appeal are:
  1. Deviations from procedures set forth in this policy resulted in significant prejudice
  2. New information or other relevant facts not available at the time of the determination of removal are identified
3. The Executive Vice President & Provost shall review the appeal to determine if one or more of the stated grounds for an appeal have been met.
4. If the Executive Vice President & Provost determines that none of the stated grounds for an appeal have been met, the appeal shall be denied and the student shall be notified by the Executive Vice President & Provost. If the Executive Vice President & Provost determines that one or more of the stated grounds for an appeal have been met, the Executive Vice President & Provost shall review the written statement of appeal and make a determination as to whether the Removal Decision shall be affirmed or reversed.
5. The Executive Vice President & Provost shall notify the student in writing, via the student’s official University email (@unr.edu), within three (3) Working Days of the date of delivery of the appeal whether the appeal has been denied and/or whether the Removal Decision has been affirmed or reversed. A copy of the decision will be provided to the Dean, the Department Chair, the Instructor of Record, and the Office of Student Conduct.
6. The decision of the Executive Vice President & Provost is final.
Final Outcome
1. Should the Request for Removal be approved, a memo requesting the removal of the student from the course shall be emailed by the Dean to the Registrar’s Office directing the student be removed from the course.
2. A student removed from a course for Disruptive Behavior shall be administratively withdrawn from the course, regardless of when the removal occurs during the semester. The course shall be removed from the student’s academic record. The student may or may not receive a refund for course fees or tuition.
  1. A student may also be referred to the Office of Student Conduct for possible disciplinary sanctions for Disruptive Behavior in the class.
3. In the event a decision is made at any point in this process that the student was removed from class without sufficient cause, then the student will be allowed to immediately return to the course without any academic consequences and the Department Chair and Instructor of Record shall work with the student to facilitate the completion of any coursework missing.