HEATHER FAULAND/Arizona Daily Wildcat Faculty Senator Jeffrey Warburton discusses a plan that would allow students who are disruptive during class to be disciplined by the Dean of Students Office. The senate approved the plan, which defines disruptive behavior as actions like talking on a cell phone, arriving late, leaving early and reading a newspaper.

Faculty senators approved a policy yesterday that allows the Dean of Students office to discipline students who instructors say are disrupting classrooms.

The policy allows instructors to summon police if students act disruptively after being warned not to, and it allows for repeat offenders to be dropped from a class. Disruptive behavior includes, but isn't limited to; cell phone usage, arriving to class late or leaving early, eating and newspaper reading.

More serious offenses may lead to formal complaints being filed with the Dean of Students Office, which can then impose sanctions on the student, if necessary.

The policy's approval comes only a week after the one-year anniversary of the shootings at the College of Nursing, in which a disgruntled student shot and killed three professors. The student, Robert S. Flores Jr., had been disruptive in class and exhibited threatening behavior toward teachers.

New students and faculty will be informed about the policy during orientation, said Senator Jeffrey Warburton.

Last year, the Dean of Students Office sent out a survey to the campus community to gauge what people consider to be disruptive behavior.

Based on the results, the UA produced a 12-minute video, "Arizona Idols," a humorous movie shown to incoming freshmen to heighten sensitivity toward disruptiveness.

Earlier this year, the senate also approved a policy outlining guidelines for dealing with threatening behavior.

The senate also approved several curriculum changes yesterday, including the implementation of a master's of education degree with a major in educational leadership, and the merging of the bachelor's of science degree in soil and water science into the bachelor's of science degree in environmental sciences with a major in environmental sciences.

Also approved was a name change for the School of Renewable Natural Resources, which would become the School of Natural Resources in fall 2004.

The senate also approved academic calendars for the school years from 2005-2006 to 2009-2010.

The calendars did not include a week-long fall break, which was championed last year by former student body president Doug Hartz, but met with opposition from the senate.

Keren G. Raz contributed to this report.