POLYCARES
HANDLING
DIFFICULT
STUDENT
SITUATIONS
Cal Poly Pomona's Community Assessment
and Response for Employees & Students is a
program to prevent campus violence before it
starts. Its purpose is to proactively identify,
assess, and offer a coordinated institutional
response to those who pose a risk to
themselves, others and/or the campus
community. Its Community Risk Assessment
Team is comprised of various department
representatives and is responsible for
considering concerns brought forward by
students or faculty, tracking existing cases, and
There is a wide range of student
behaviors in the classroom that can be
considered “difficult.” On this handout we
talk about four types of student
situations: (1) Annoying; (2) Disruptive;
(3) Potentially Threatening; and (4)
Acutely Dangerous. This handout
provides information for professors to
help distinguish from among these
different types of challenging student
behaviors in order to allow for
appropriate and effective responses.
Working as a Team
You are not alone when working with
students in the classroom. You can refer
at-risk students to Student Health &
Counseling Services, or you can seek
guidance from Judicial Affairs on how to
best approach a conduct situation. You
can consult a department head, dean, or
a student’s advisor. While these
interventions may take some extra time,
they often are well worth the effort to
proactively address difficult student
behaviors and to prevent a situation from
escalating.
recommending actions to its Risk Response
Team (which consists of the Chief of Police,
Student Health and Counseling Services
Director, and Judicial Affairs Director).
Teach Students to Access Support
Teach students how to access campus support
services by inviting the following programs and
departments to your class:
STUDENT HEALTH & COUNSELING
SERVICES
CAREER CENTER
VIOLENCE PREVENTION & WOMEN’S
RESOURCE CENTER
DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER
LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER
CREATING A HEALTHY CLASSROOM
Set Classroom Expectations
Set rules and expectations for classroom behavior early during the term and in your syllabus. This
provides a base point for future discussions with students. Allow students to have input into developing
a set of classroom standards and manners. Often, they are stricter then you would ever be.
Relationships with Students
Understand the importance of building a relationship with students on a professional level, which can
focus on helping students learn and relate your experience with theirs. However, don’t fall into the trap
of over-parenting the student by doing things for them or “taking the student home” – either emotionally
or physically.
Stay Away From
Speculation and Stereotypes
Opinions and Labels
Diagnoses
8 Steps for Handling Difficult Conversations:
Professional Relationships with Your
1. Describe the behavior and its impacts.
Students
2. Listen to their perspective and response.
3. Discuss appropriate behavior.
Understand the importance of building a
4. Discuss resources to promote success.
relationship with students on a professional
5. Reiterate or set parameters for future
level, which can focus on helping students learn
behaviors.
and relate your experience with theirs. However,
6. Share consequences of non-compliance.
don’t fall into the trap of over-parenting the
7. Summarize the conversation.
student by doing things for them or “taking the
8. Inform of any follow-up.
student home” – either emotionally or physically.
a. Document the conversation and plan.
b. Decide who you will inform.
c. Check in with the student, etc.
FACULTY EXPECTATIONS
SUGGESTIONS
 I expect you to show civility and human concern for
EXCLUDING STUDENTS FROM
CLASSES
1. An instructor may at any time exclude from his or her
course students who are disrupting the orderly
newsletter text here.
conduct of the classroom or are a hazard to
themselves or others.
2. Upon excluding a student from a class, the instructor
shall, within two academic days, inform the following
each of those with whom you work and study while
presenting a positive attitude and professional
demeanor. This includes such things as remaining
alert (and awake!) in class, respecting and never
interrupting others, limiting private conversations, and
keeping phones and pagers off.
 I expect that you will arrive to class on time, and, if you
must miss class, to let me know in advance by an
email or telephone call.
individuals in writing of the reasons for exclusion from
class and that the student has three academic days to
file a protest with the instructor's dean:
a. The instructor's department chairperson
b. The instructor's college dean
c.
The student's major department chairperson
d. The student's major college dean
e. The student
f.
The Office of Judicial Affairs
 When you do arrive late, I expect you to take your seat
quietly, not disrupting the class, and to join us as soon
as you are able.
 Just as you can expect me to be prepared, I expect
you to come to class prepared, having read the
assignment beforehand and having thought about how
you can participate in that day’s discussion.
 I expect you to work with your team members and
The student has three (3) university academic days
obtain their input when working on group exercises
from the date of exclusion during which a formal
and projects. I also expect you to know when it is not
protest may be lodged with the instructor's college
appropriate to work with others and to ask me if there
dean concerning the instructor's decision. If the
is any question about collaboration.
student desires to make such a protest, the college
dean and department chairman will interview both the
faculty member and the student(s) involved and the
 I expect you to understand that this is a dynamic one,
with disagreements, but with respect.
dean will make a final decision within three (3)
university academic days as to whether or not the
student is to be allowed to return to class.
 I expect you to be truthful and honest in all that you
do. Work you submit will meet the academic honesty
standards of Cal Poly Pomona.
http://dsa.csupomona.edu/judicialaffairs/exclusion.asp
 I expect that you will appreciate the diversity of our
campus and respect the rights of each member.
 I expect you to hold me to these same standards.
http://dsa.csupomona.edu/judicialaffairs/expectations.asp
WHEN STUDENT BEHAVIOR IS
ANNOYING
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Describe the behavior and its impacts.
Listen to their perspective and response.
Discuss appropriate behavior.
Discuss resources to promote success.
o
Staring/Inappropriate eye contact
o
Not picking up on social cues
o
Unaware of others’ need for personal space
o
Disrespectful or rude behavior
o
Threatening to sue you
o
Monopolizing your time
Reiterate or set parameters for future
behaviors.
WORKING WITH STUDENTS WITH SOCIAL DIFFICULTIES
Make sure to offer messages that are concise, short, and focused on the desirable action or target
behavior.
Offer information that is clear.
Avoid addressing multiple issues at one time.
Do NOT assume that the student has a disability.
Do NOT require the student to attend counseling.
When referring students to campus support services, focus on how these services can help the student
increase their ability to be successful.
Do NOT let frustration build up by ignoring behavior and then exploding at the student.
Do NOT embarrass student in front of the class. Ask to speak privately to the student.
Do NOT require student to conform behavior without probing or seeking first to understand.
Do NOT ignore extenuating circumstances.
EXAMPLES OF DISRUPTIVE
STUDENT BEHAVIOR
Behavior gets in the way of other students’ learning, such
as constantly going off-topic during class discussions
Behavior interrupts your flow and teaching, such as
constantly interrupting and not waiting for one’s turn to
respond
Behavior requires increasingly more of your time to
handle, such as refusing to cooperate or being
WHAT YOU CAN DO
unresponsive to your instructions
Behavior elicits negative responses from other students,
Take the student aside after class to
discuss the problematic behavior and its
impact, redirect the student towards
expected, appropriate behavior, and share
the consequences of non-compliance.
such as teasing, bullying, or aggression, such as poor
hygiene or problems joining in with groups for class
assignments
Clear violations of the University’s Student Conduct
Document fact-based, objective
observations of disruptive student
behaviors, both verbal and non-verbal
Code, such as cheating or coming to class under the
influence of alcohol or otherwise intoxicated
Notify Judicial Affairs.
WORKING WITH STUDENTS WHO DISRUPT THE ORDERLY
CONDUCT OF THE CLASSROOM
Develop and maintain relationships with students to promote success.
Address behaviors early, even when it feels uncomfortable.
If a student continues to be unresponsive to your attempts to redirect and clarify expectations, consider
excluding him or her from the course (see Exclusion of Students from Classes at:
http://dsa.csupomona.edu/judicialaffairs/exclusion.asp )
Recognize when to report vs. when to refer:
 If you suspect or believe a student has violated the Student Conduct Code and requires disciplinary
measures, and/or to report academic dishonesty cases that occur in the classroom, report the
student to Judicial Affairs.
 If you are concerned that a student might need psychological and/or crisis support, refer the student
to Student Health and Counseling Services.
 If you feel personally unsafe or threatened, do not hesitate to call University Police
EXAMPLES OF POTENTIALLY
THREATENING STUDENT BEHAVIOR
Marked change in academic performance,
combined with unusual or dramatic shifts in behavior
or appearance, and reporting of significant life
stressors
Verbal written references to, or threats of, suicide,
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Document fact-based, objective
observations of actual student behavior
(both verbal and non-verbal) that have
given rise to your concerns
Notify Student Health & Counseling
Services, the University Police
Department, or Judicial Affairs.
homicide, or destructive/assaultive behavior
Expresses feelings of helplessness or inability to
cope
Expresses themes of isolation, rage, or despair
Comes to class under the influence of alcohol or
otherwise intoxicated
Share your concerns and observations
with your Department Chair or Dean.
WORKING WITH POTENTIALLY THREATENING STUDENTS
Develop and maintain relationships with students to promote success.
Address behaviors early, even when it feels uncomfortable.
Plan for both ends of the spectrum – possible threat and a misunderstanding
Understand and attend to both the content (what is being said) and the process (how it is being said):

Spoken: “This test question isn’t fair! It wasn’t on the study guide and the answers are vague.
You need to change my grade!”

Unspoken: “I’m scare and lost and in your class. I study hard but still fall behind.”
Recognize the three (3) phases of aggression and where BOTH you and your student might be:
 Trigger: Diffuse the agitation by seeking first to understand (active listening)
 Escalation: Ask yourself, “Am I making this worse or better?” Set aside concerns
regarding grades, attendance, etc., and find common ground (e.g., student’s success)
 Crisis: Call for help and attempt to keep calm
If a student discloses to you that they or someone they care about is in danger, refer the student to
Student Health and Counseling Services, Violence Prevention and Women’s Resource Center, and/or
University Police.
WHEN STUDENT BEHAVIOR IS
ACUTELY DANGEROUS
Displays actual aggressive verbal or physical
behavior directed at a specific person
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Expresses direct threat of violence towards self or
others
Assess for imminent danger:
o Is there an expressed or direct threat of
violence to self or others? If so, call (or
have someone call) Campus Police.
Shares that he or she has a plan to carry out a
direct threat
Brandishes a weapon
o If the threat of violence to self or others is
possible or can potentially occur, but not
immediately present, then this is
considered “non-imminent” danger.
DEALING WITH STUDENTS IN CRISIS OR ACUTELY DANGEROUS
Establish a calm, cool, and collected mindset.
If there is NO imminent threat or danger of violence to self or others:
1. Address non-imminent dangerous behavior first:
 Calmly discuss and redirect behavior.
 Separate student and dismiss class.
2. Follow with appropriate support:
 Schedule the time and place.
 Include Dean, Campus Police, and Student Health & Counseling Services.
If a student has a weapon:
 If you can leave the area safely, do so.
 Quietly notify anyone you encounter as you are leaving that they must exit immediately as well.
 Do NOT signal the building occupants by activating a fire alarm.
 Take shelter in another university building, if possible.
 Contact University Police to advise them of what is happening.