Classroom Disruption

Other Services Available

Class Absence Notices: Class absence notices are sent as a courtesy to a student’s professors to alert them to the student’s absence from class due to an injury, illness, family emergency, etc. The notices do not excuse the student from completing the missed work or taking missed exam/quiz. Students must contact their professors to make arrangements for any make-up work.

Deceased Student Notices: When a University student dies (whether during a term or not), appropriate campus departments are notified. A courtesy email is also sent to the college of the student’s major.

Care Services: Care Services is a solution-focused approach to assisting students with a wide variety of needs. It is a coordinated and collaborative effort to resolve student concerns and complaints and provides a centralized point of contact for resolution of student concerns. The Care Manager facilitates discussions with professors and students, identifies campus and community resources and develops a plan to assist the university community to work together toward a shared goal. The care service model fosters collective ownership, interdependence and flexibility and builds linkages with all stakeholders.

Class Absence Notices, Deceased Student Notices and Care Services are offered and handled by the Dean of Students Office. For more information or assistance, call 850.474.2384 or visit uwf.edu/deanofstudents.

Students in Distress

The Dean of Students Office has developed this informational guide as a means to assist faculty, staff and the university community when dealing with troubled students.

If you are dealing with students in difficulty: 

• Be aware of the location of the nearest telephone, whether it is within the building or a personal cell phone.
• If the student is a threat to others, dial 911 or UWF police at 850.474.2415 immediately and complete an incident report with the Dean of Students Office.
• If the student is causing classroom disruption, but is not a threat to others, discuss the situation with the student individually and complete an incident report with the Dean of Students Office.
• You may always ask the disruptive student to leave the classroom.

Students with Disruptive Behavior

The Student Code of Conduct outlines the Rules of Conduct regarding students with disruptive behavior.

Student Code of Conduct: uwf.edu/srr 

Disruptive behavior includes, but is not limited to: 

• Conduct that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive campus, educational or working environment for another person.
• Conduct that substantially disrupts or in any way interferes with University activities or that reasonably leads University authorities to forecast such disruption or interference.
• Failure to follow directives of University officials.
• Actions which are committed without regard for the possible harm to self, other individuals, a group or which may result in injury or damage to an individual or group.
• Interference with the rights of others to carry out their activities or duties or activities that endanger the health, safety or welfare of members or guests of the University.

Personal Abuse: 

• Physical and/or psychological abuse or threat of such abuse.
• Performing sexual acts on or with another individual without the consent of the individual, when the individual is unable to give consent or after the individual has withdrawn consent.
• Stalking, following or otherwise contacting another person repeatedly, so as to put that person in fear for their safety.
• Use of computing facilities and resources to interfere with the work of another student, faculty member, staff member or University official.