Judicial Affairs

Managing Difficult Student Behavior

Guidelines for Faculty and Staff

Maintaining an effective & safe learning environment
Faculty and staff may face behavior from students that is difficult for them to manage. Faculty and staff may be confronted with troubling, disruptive or threatening behavior. Many student services exist to support faculty and staff with difficult situations. Your supervisor or department chair, the Dean of Students office, the Counseling Center, Disability Services and the Campus Police are some of the departments available for this kind of assistance.

If you feel that a student is behaving inappropriately or is making you feel uneasy, you may find it helpful to talk over your concerns. Just speaking with another professional will sometimes clarify issues and help you resolve the problem. In addition, the university has created the Behavior Assessment and Intervention Team which can assist you with problematic student behavior.

The Behavior Assessment and Intervention Team (BAIT)
The purpose of BAIT is to assist in protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the UT Dallas community. BAIT:

  • reviews incidents when students’ behavior may be disruptive or harmful to themselves or the UT Dallas community
  • coordinates the University response to incidents
  • develops strategies to manage threatening and disruptive behavior
  • makes recommendations to University officials on appropriate action

Stress Faced by Students
Starting college and other major life transitions are challenging and sometimes difficult to navigate. During this period, students encounter stress for a variety of reasons including academics, family and romantic relationships, social situations, work, and financial concerns.
While most students cope successfully with the demands of college life, some become overwhelmed.

What Can Staff and Faculty do?
Interest and concern shown by a faculty or staff member may be a critical factor in helping a struggling student reestablish emotional equilibrium. Your willingness to respond to students in distress will be influences by your personal style and beliefs about the limits of responsibility for helping students. Some students may be more open to assistance than others. Class size and the nature of your relationship with the student will also have an impact. It’s important to be realistic about what you can offer when making a decision about how you can help.

Types of Problematic Student Behavior

Troubling Behavior

Troubling behavior often causes us to feel worried, upset, or alarmed. Faculty and staff members often feel concerned for the student’s well-being when they encounter these behaviors.

Examples of troubling behavior, when a student:

  • has had her grades dramatically drop
  • states that FBI agents are following him
  • makes comments or jokes about killing himself or someone else
  • seeks out a faculty/staff member excessively
  • produces fragmented and disjointed writing as if she cannot keep a logical thought sequence
  • sends rambling and incoherent emails
  • has inexplicable emotional outbursts
  • has extended conversations out loud with himself

Some students may behave oddly but are harmless
For example, students with Asperger’s disorder or high functioning autism may lack social skills, display unusual language, avoid eye contact, or have low stress tolerance. If the student has special accommodations, faculty may consult with Disability Services about understanding and working with the student. If not, you may consult with the Counseling Center to help determine if the behavior is harmless or might require intervention. Despite having special needs, students who behave oddly must conform to the UT Dallas’ Student Code of Conduct.

Interventions for Troubling Behavior

If you choose to approach a student you are concerned about or if a student seeks you out:

  • Talk to the student in private when both of you have time and are not rushed.
  • Give the student your undivided attention. Just a few minutes of effective listening on your part may be enough to help the student feel comfortable about what to do next.
  • Be direct and non-judgmental. Express your concern in behavioral , nonjudgmental terms. E.g. “I’ve noticed you’ve been frequently absent from class and I’m concerned,” rather than “why have you missed so much class lately?”
  • Listen sensitively to the students’ thoughts and feelings. Communicate understanding, summarizing the essence of what the student has told you. For example, “It sounds like you have felt depressed and it has affected your performance.” Remember to let the student talk.
  • Refer. Point out that help is available and that seeking help is a sign of strength. Inform students about paces to go for help. In preparation, familiarize yourself with campus services.
  • Follow Up. Following up is an important part of the process. Check with the student later to find out how he or she is doing. Provide support as appropriate.

Disruptive Behavior

Disruptive behavior is behavior that interrupts or interferes with daily functions of the University or the educational process. Disruptive students may resist corrective action or intervention.

Examples of disruptive behavior - when a student:

  • verbally intimidates others
  • is excessively demanding of faculty or staff
  • interrupts in class by:
    • making hostile remarks out of turn
    • aggressively taking over the lecture

Interventions for Disruptive Behavior

  • Request that the student stop the disruptive behavior.
  • If the problem continues, ask the student to leave the area or class.
  • Speak with the student privately, preferably in the faculty or staff member’s office.
  • Apprise the student of the inappropriateness of the behavior.
  • Explain the consequences if the change does not occur.
  • Document the content of the meeting.
  • When indicated, provide the student with a written copy of the requirements and consequences.
  • If the behavior continues, consult about your next step.

If you don’t feel comfortable managing a disruptive student or if you are unsure whether or not to report the student for a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, contact the Dean of Students or BAIT.

Threatening Behavior

Faculty and staff often fear for their personal safety when confronted by threatening behavior from a student.

Examples of threatening behavior, when a student:

  • makes a direct threat or implies harm to others or themselves
  • displays a weapon or firearm
  • physically attacks someone
  • harasses or stalks a faculty, staff member, or another student
  • sends threatening correspondence (letters, emails, text messages, etc.) to others

Interventions for Threatening Behavior

The top priority is the safety and well-being of the campus community.

 

Updated: September 2, 2008