Disruption of University Community

The University holds as basic the integrity and well-being of every person in the community. PLU is committed to providing a living, learning and working environment that is fair, consistent, caring, and supportive of intellectual and personal growth. Further, PLU is committed to protecting the rights of its community members to engage in dialogue and express ideas in an environment that is free from harassment, discrimination, and exploitation. This freedom of expression does not, however, entail the freedom to threaten, stalk, intimidate, harass, or abuse.

Students are therefore expected to treat every individual with respect and civility. The University prohibits any activities which cause or threaten physical or mental harm, suffering or exhaustion, which demean the dignity of any individual, and/or which interfere with one’s academic progress, living environment or employment responsibilities.

Students are also expected to demonstrate respect and good judgment by acting in a manner that is appropriate to the university setting, on campus or while engaged in a University sponsored activity. Disruption or obstruction of teaching, research, administration, or any PLU sponsored activity is prohibited.

Individuals who directly or indirectly demand unreasonable access to university resources or disrupt community business by denying others the ability to live, learn and work in the environment that PLU seeks to maintain for all community members may be found responsible for disrupting university community.

The University reserves the right to restrict students whose behavior violates this policy from campus until professional clearance is obtained that indicates the student may return without posing a continued disruption to the university, residential communities or to others who learn and work at the university.

Students who do not attend a Student Conduct Review Meeting without making prior arrangements also may be found responsible for disrupting the university community. (See Student Conduct Procedures, “Section IV – Student Rights and Responsibilities“, Subsection A.)

The Disruption of University Community policy has been applied in a broad spectrum of cases. It is, of course, not possible to list all forms of conduct that could be considered a violation of this policy. The examples provided are of conduct that could violate the Disruption of University Community policy, but they are provided for illustration only and should not be considered all inclusive. In addition to incidents that obviously fit into this policy description such as harassing a staff member, Disruption of University Community has been applied to incidents involving pranks, public urination, classroom disruption, and others.