The resources and organizations listed on this page are provided by entities that operate independently from Diablo Valley College. Diablo Valley College does not assume responsibility for the ongoing accuracy, availability or services provided by these external entities. Students are encouraged to verify information and make decisions based on their individual needs.
Information for Faculty and Staff at DVC
- Removal from Class - Education Code 76032
- Student Code of Conduct (CCCD Student Services Procedure 3027) - Section VIII
- Disruption in Supervised Non-instructional Areas - DVC Procedure 3012.02
Links from other institutions of higher education
- Student Classroom and Course-Related Behavior - Univ. of Colorado at Boulder
- Teaching Resources and Continuing Education Tip Sheets - U. of Waterloo (Canada)
Books by Gerald Amada, PhD
- Coping with the Disruptive College Student: A Practical Model
- Coping with Misconduct in the College Classroom: A Practical Model (available at Student Life Office)
Disruption in non-instructional areas
DVC Procedure 3012.02
ADOPTION: May 17, 2004
REFERENCES: Penal Code sec. 626, Education Code sec. 66017, 66300, 76030 - 76037, CCCCD Board Policy 3012, CCCCD Student Services Procedure 3027
Disruptive behavior is any behavior that interferes with the instructional, administrative, or service functions of the college. Examples of disruptive behavior include, but are not limited to: threats or verbal abuse, shouting, unreasonably loud talking, habitual profanity or vulgarity, making excessive noise, continued willful disobedience or defiance of authority. There is a difference between disruptive behavior and students exercising their right to express differing opinions or constructive criticism - a right fundamental to a free and open academic community.
Some disruptive behavior is clearly prohibited by policy, while other behavior is prohibited by the California Penal Code and punishable by criminal sanction, which requires immediate and formal intervention. The disruptive behaviors listed below constitute an imminent threat to the health and safety of others; in these cases campus police should be notified for immediate action.
• Acts of physical violence
• Imminent threats of physical violence
• Exhibition of a weapon
When the student's behavior is identified as disruptive but not physical or violent, DVC's representatives have more latitude in choosing an effective response. Each college manager or staff member in charge of a service area will have his or her own special strategies for handling potentially disruptive situations. In a case where the usual strategies fail and the behavior has been assessed as disruptive, the manager or staff member in charge should:
• Invite the student to talk in a quiet and relatively private location (if feasible) in order to de-escalate the situation;
• Identify the inappropriate behavior and attempt to elicit the cooperation of the student to resolve the situation;
• Warn the student that the behavior is disruptive and may lead to formal disciplinary action by the college (including suspension);
• Consult with the supervisor or president's designee regarding the behavior, if available.
If dialogue with the student proves to be ineffective and the manager or staff member in charge feels that he or she has exhausted the methods normally employed to resolve such situations, the Student Code of Conduct allows for the implementation of "loss of privileges". The loss of privileges shall last until the student has met with the president's designee to resolve the situation. The following procedures allow for any college manager or staff member in charge of a service area to withdraw the privilege to use the service area from any student for good cause as set forth in the Student Code of Conduct.
1. Notify the student that you are considering withdrawing their privilege to use the service area, and the specific reasons why. This may be done orally or in writing.
2. Allow the student an opportunity to immediately respond to the proposed loss of privileges. There need be no delay between the time this notice is given to the student and the time of such a response.
3. Listen to the student's explanation and consider all relevant information.
4. Decide whether or not to proceed with the loss of privileges, and inform the student immediately. The decision is final and there will be no appeal. If the student refuses to leave the area, contact campus police and request that they escort the student from the campus property.
5. Notify your supervisor and the president's designee immediately following the loss of privileges.
Following the meeting with the president's designee, if the student is cleared to return to the office or service area and the disruptive behavior continues or escalates, the president's designee will work with the manager or staff member in charge to obtain the documentation necessary to identify appropriate next steps in the disciplinary process.
Removal Policy
(Section VIII. of the Student Code of Conduct)
An instructor, for good cause, may remove a student from his or her class for the day of the removal and the next class meeting. (Ed. Code 76032 and 76033.)
A. Procedures before the removal
1. The instructor shall notify the student of the instructor's consideration of the removal from class and the reasons for the proposed removal.
2. The instructor may remove the student from the classroom immediately. Under normal conditions, the instructor should permit the student an opportunity to present a rebuttal to the accusation or otherwise offer relevant comment on the proposed removal. There need be no delay between the time notice is given to the student and the time of such a review.
3. The instructor shall decide whether or not to proceed with the proposed removal after hearing the student's explanation and considering all of the information relative to the issue. There need be no delay between the time notice is given to the student and the removal.
4. The decision may be given to the student either orally or in writing.
5. The instructor's decision is final and may not be appealed.
B. Procedures after the removal
1. Immediately following the removal, the instructor must notify the college president or president 's designee of the removal.
2. If the student removed is a minor, the college president or president's designee shall ask the parent or guardian of the student to attend a parent conference regarding the removal as soon as possible. If the instructor or the parent or guardian so requests, a college administrator shall attend the conference.
3. The instructor may request that the student meet with the college president or president 's designee, within three (3) days of removal, prior to returning to class.
4. During the period of removal, the student shall not be returned to the class without the concurrence of the instructor.
5. After the student returns to class, if there are additional incidents of disruption or other behavior constituting good cause, the faculty member will provide the necessary documentation to the President's designee so that more serious consequences, such as suspension from this particular class or from all classes for the rest of the semester, can be assigned.