COLLOQUY

"Rudeness? Of course! Rudeness, what else do you expect? It is a simple valve, what I am surprised about is that..." -- Arsenio Rey, Professor & Chairman Division of Romance Languages (posted 5/19, 4:56 p.m., E.D.T.)

"Colleges and universities do not exist in a vacuum. If incivility is on the rise in American cultural generally, we should expect to..." -- Mildred Lewis, Coordinator, SSI Children's Coalition (posted 5/7, 5:16 p.m., E.D.T.)

"Having served as a teaching assistant in at least eight large lecture classes (200+ students) and then teaching my own classes of 10 - 25 students, I agree that..." -- Dee McKinney, Adjunct Instructor, Educational Foundations and Multicultural Education, Lake City Community College and St. Leo College (posted 5/5, 8:55 a.m., E.D.T.)

"To deal with students' discipline problems it takes a combination of faculty, administrators and security personnel..." -- Fred Golub, Academic Counselor (posted 4/23, 12:15 p.m., E.D.T.)

"How could students be acting out in a college-level classroom? How could a college-level educator not handle..." -- Dr. R. Scott Lloyd, Artist/Educator (posted 4/20, 9:38 a.m., E.D.T.)

"Students lack even the common sense courtesy that normally serves to get you ahead in this world. I have had students leave for 15-20 minutes during an exam after coming in 20 minutes late. When they..." -- We Waisala, Ramapo College, New Jersey (posted 4/20, 9:32 a.m., E.D.T.)

"I read, 'Insubordination and Intimidation Signal the End of Decorum in Many Classrooms,' with interest and frustration. The time has come for academe to address this issue as the occupational hazard that it has proven to be. As a former..." -- Cynthia D. Twining, Health and Safety Director (posted 4/15, 5:15 p.m., E.D.T.)

"As usual, the "easy" cases -- outright intimidation, gratuitous "in-your-face" rudeness, etc. -- are the ones that receive the most publicity, but they're probably not the heart of the matter. It's the gray areas that..." -- D.G. Whiteis, Indiana-Purdue University at Ft. Wayne (posted 4/8, 11 a.m., E.S.T.)

"Rudeness in the classroom -- or anywhere else -- is inexcusable and absolutely should not be tolerated! "Three warnings and you're..." -- Shirley M. Joiner, Ph.D., Independent Scholar (posted 4/8, 10:28 a.m., E.D.T.)

"Although I agree that the responsibility for classroom behavior, respect and order should be shared equally between student and teacher, I think an important aspect of the equation has been overlooked..." -- T.Brett Mullinix, Adjunct Art Professor, University Of N.C.At Greensboro And Guilford College (posted 4/6, 10 a.m., E.S.T.)

"The rise in 'overt and observable' uncivility from students in postsecondary education will ultimately be linked, developmentally, to everything from the failure(s) of parenting, to the lack of..." -- Brent E. Wholeben, Professor of Educational Administration and School Business Management, Northern Illinois University (posted 3/29, 4:45 p.m., E.S.T.)

"The rise of incivility and rudeness in the classroom does mirror the same development in our society. The article makes many good points about the causes. One thing I would add is..." -- Dr. Edmund Midura, Asst. Prof., Clark Atlanta University (posted 3/29, 4:39 p.m., E.S.T.)

"Several responses in this debate have speculated whether large class size or administration responses to student complaints contribute to behavior problems in the classroom. Based on..." -- Tamara L. Hunt, Assistant Professor of History, Loyola Marymount University (posted 3/29, 4:33 p.m., E.S.T.)

"It's becoming more important to include in your course outline details on what you expect as acceptable behavior. This should include..." -- Jeffrey F. Koodin, Department Chair (posted 3/29, 4:31 p.m., E.S.T.)

"In the article, one of the possible reasons mentioned for increased incivility in the classroom is the increasing "consumerism on the college campus." The student attitude..." -- Bob Boufford, Associate Professor, Horticulture, Clark State Community College, Springfield OH (posted 3/29, 4:02 p.m., E.S.T.)

"I agree with those who say that the concept of respect for educators has to begin in Kindergarten. I was a creative and oft-requested Kindergarten teacher for 16 years, and was a strict disciplinarian as well. My students..." -- Peggy Constantine, Publications Coordinator, University of La Verne (posted 3/29, 3:59 p.m., E.S.T.)

"I have a difficult time relating to the idea of out-of-control classrooms where students behave rudely and sometimes threateningly. It is very important for us to remember that..." -- Thomas J. Ernster, MA, Instructor of English- Hamilton College, Cedar Rapids, IA; Adjunct instructor of Writing- Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, IA (posted 3/29, 3:24 p.m., E.S.T.)

"Respect breeds respect. A teacher must show respect for her students, which includes high expectations and no tolerance for behavior that..." -- Dr. Kate Horsley Parker, Instructor at TVI Community College (posted 3/29, 3:22 p.m., E.S.T.)

"Ms. Schneider's article on student behavior was most opportune, arriving on the day our Teaching/Learning center held a faculty program on the topic. We had..." -- Barbara Sartorius, Assoc. Prof., College Skills, Ulster CC College (posted 3/29, 3:18 p.m., E.S.T.)

"I believe the article regarding student rudeness preys upon a disturbing idea in academe: "Students are the cause of problems that professors face in the classroom." Although I..." -- Timothy J. Juntilla, Instructor, English, Cerritos College (posted 3/26, 5:44 p.m., E.S.T.)

"I agree, but I've got one problem with one word -- "administrators." They could do a lot to put a stop to unruly behavior. But I've no evidence they're about to. Why? Because..." -- C. Robert Phillips, III, Professor of Classics &Amp; Ancient History; Lehigh University (posted 3/26, 5:42 p.m., E.S.T.)

"There was an important aspect of the Chronicle story that seemed to be overlooked: Most of the cases of uncivil behavior which were discussed involved faculty members who were female, Asian or both. I am aware of..." -- Fred Fejes, Associate Professor Florida Atlantic University (posted 3/26, 5:40 p.m., E.S.T.)

"The article on the end of decorum in the classroom and the characteristics of the discussion in the colloquy are indicators of the emerging challenge to education, and particularly to..." -- Roger P. Davis, Professor of History, University of Nebraska at Kearney (posted 3/26, 11:19 a.m., E.S.T.)

"Actually my students seem more attentive, appreciative, civil, and kind now than they used to be. Perhaps it is because I am..." -- Robert Parelius, Professor, Rutgers University (posted 3/26, 10:51 a.m., E.S.T.)

"Professor Rowntree suggests that incivility may arise because of large lecture classes which all too easily, "degenerate into an information transmission form of address with..." -- Brendan McManus, Ph.D., Adjunct Lecturer in History, SUNY Oneonta (posted 3/26, 10:48 a.m., E.S.T.)

"To what extent, I wonder, is the behavior that colleagues are complaining of a product of the particular type of teaching/learning environment we chose (or are compelled) to provide? In particular..." -- Dr. Derek Rowntree, Professor of Educational Development, The Open University (UK) (posted 3/25, 2:58 p.m., E.S.T.)

"In dealing with issues surrounding decorum in the classroom, it has been helpful for me to consider the classroom as one instantiation of the rhetorical situation. Within this situation are..." -- Ruth Fischer, Associate Director of Composition & WAC, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA (posted 3/25, 11:19 a.m., E.S.T.)

"Like David J. Rothman, I was intrigued by Alison Schneider's reference to Foucault in the article. I'm always pleased when a journalist acknowledges..." -- David Tamres, Associate Professor of Physics & Astronomy, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point (posted 3/25, 11:15 a.m., E.S.T.)

"Having taught in three humanities departments (English and Women's Studies) at the University of Alabama and in English at the University of Oklahoma, I can attest that I have witnessed..." -- Katherine J. Patterson, Former GTA University of Oklahoma, Univ. Alabama (posted 3/25, 11:10 a.m., E.S.T.)

"Perhaps we should assume that Alison Schneider has tongue firmly in cheek when she writes: "Learning for learning's sake, scholars maintain, has..." -- David J. Rothman, Executive Director, Western Slope Summer Music Festival (posted 3/24, 1:57 p.m., E.S.T.)

"As a graduate student at the very beginning of what I hope to be a teaching career, I have to admit that this article has exposed one of my greatest fears..." -- Jennifer Stiles, Graduate Student, Tufts University (posted 3/24, 11:27 a.m., E.S.T.)

"I have encountered all the problems mentioned in the article by the professors interviewed. I even witnessed a student threaten one of my colleagues with physical violence, for which this student was..." -- Scott Glotzer, Adjunct Assistant Professor, William Paterson University, CUNY: Lehman College (posted 3/24, 11:24 a.m., E.S.T.)

"I have adopted the policy of addressing all of my students by last names, preceded by the generic titles of courtesy, 'Ms.,' or 'Mr.," as a reactive measure to multiple students taking the liberty of..." -- Ruby Evans, Professor of Statistics (posted 3/24, 11:19 a.m., E.S.T.)

"Administrators in higher education should make every effort to put an immediate stop to disruptive behavior in the classroom. This is not an area where compromise and even..." -- John D'Amicantonio, Associate Librarian; California State University, Long Beach (posted 3/24, 11:15 a.m., E.S.T.)

"Alison Schneider's article is a perfect example of how so many professors have come to look outside of the academy when faced with difficult problems and issues within its walls. I believe that many of the "problems" evidenced by unruly college students are not really student problems at all..." -- Sam Minner, James H. Quillen Chair Of Excellence In Teaching And Learning (posted 3/23, 5:53 p.m., E.S.T.)

"I am not a professor but my husband (who is) often complains about the type of rudeness the article mentions. This includes fighting, talking during lectures or demonstrations, and..." -- Dixie Schmittou, Program Coordinator, Clemson University (posted 3/23, 5:48 p.m., E.S.T.)

"The issue of civility in the classroom is one that I have always included in my pedagogy classes and certainly one that has been in heated discussion among..." -- Dr. Luke Kahlich, Temple University (posted 3/23, 12:10 p.m., E.S.T.)

"I would like to encourage your readers to take note of the excerpt from the syllabus of Prof. Susanne J. Warma of Utah State University, which is..." -- anonymous student, Washtenaw Community College (posted 3/23, 8:30 a.m., E.S.T.)