JILL MARICICH/ Arizona Daily Wildcat Professor Diedre Argyle helps studio art senior Lauren Wood with her art project for 3-D design class. Instructors have complained about student rudeness in larger general education classrooms.

Disruptive behavior in UA classrooms, including tardiness, talking and early departures has increased, according to a survey of general education faculty conducted last spring and summer.

The Office of the Dean of Students e-mailed the survey to all 280 faculty who teach tier one and tier two courses. Sixty instructors responded to the survey.

Faculty were asked to indicate the extent to which certain behaviors such as sleeping and dominating discussion, devices like beepers and cell phones, and lack of personal hygiene have disrupted their classrooms.

Faculty could rate disruptive student behaviors on a gradient that ranged from "not observed" to "very disruptive."

Disruptive behavior survey Behaviors 60 instructors found moderately disruptive or very disruptive, according to "Disruptive behavior in the classroom: a faculty survey" · Chatting or whispering 55.9 percent · Early departures 55.9 percent · Tardiness 45.7 percent · Pagers or cellular phones 32.2 percent · Reading newspapers or magazines 30.5 percent · Sleeping 23.7 percent · Inappropriate questions or remarks 17.3 percent · Food or beverage consumption 17 percent

Of the faculty who responded to the survey, 27.1 percent said that chatting or whispering, which was the most common problem, was very disruptive, while 6.8 percent said that it was not observed in their classrooms.

"Faculty had contacted us about disruptive behavior and we wanted to get a feel for the extent of that behavior," said associate dean of students Veda Kowalski.

The survey will serve as an exploratory tool for future surveys. There are also plans to survey students about their perceptions of disruptive classroom behavior, Kowalski said.

Some professors have said that small disruptions, like reading the newspaper in class or speaking out of turn, have always been around but are more common in this generation.

"Our classrooms are no more dangerous or disruptive than those worldwide, but I know that it can be a problem," said Michael Shupe, director of graduate studies in the physics department.

Disciplinary action for disruptive behavior is outlined in the UA Code of Conduct. Results of an investigation of the complaint conducted by the Dean of Students can range from a warning to expulsion. Students can appeal any complaint or decision made against them.

Another problem at universities stems from a handful of students who are too vocal or aggressive.

"Professors are complaining that their courses are being hijacked by Îclassroom terrorists,'" according to a 1998 study conducted by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

The Chronicle study looked at students who were becoming more argumentative and aggressive toward their instructors ÷ something some UA instructors expressed concern with.

"I had a faculty member complain about a hostile and combative student that they were meeting with, so I agreed to sit in on the meeting," said Daniel Stern, head of the department of physics. "There are potential private difficulties that exist on this campus."

In March, a student threatened the life of President Pete Likins.

In September, two professors contacted UAPD because they felt threatened by a student's e-mails.