To: Mildred Garcia, University President

From: Campus Incivility Comity

Date: September 8, 2016
Subject: Reducing student incivility in classrooms
The objective of this memo is to confer the recent issues of student incivility in California
State University, Fullerton. There have been increasing reports in the University about
the issue that needs to be deliberated and resolved immediately. Incivility is the act of
students being disruptive, disrespectful and insensitive to both the professor and their
fellow peers. This is an issue that should not be tolerated as it affects the education of
the students. Likewise, it can hurt the reputation of University and make it seem as a
harmful learning environment.
Our committee, the Campus Incivility Comity, has been appointed to gather data and
report to the CSUF administration in response to the goal established by the CSUF
Academic Senate: Reduce to zero the number of faculty complaints about student
incivility in our classrooms.
We aim to avert the potential negative perception about the University and help
maintain a positive learning environment for every student on campus.
We will need to gather intel on the highest forms of incivility that occurs in the
classroom, which can be done by attending classes and surveying how the students act
towards one another as well as the professor. Professors may not approve of our comity
surveying their classrooms. They may feel as though they have a hold on the situation.
Students might be opposed to the surveillance of the classrooms as they may not see
their behavior as disruptive to their peers.
On a positive note, professors and students can view this as a way of growing
respectful of one another. Students can learn how to rightfully address their professors
and act in the classroom, and professors can understand how to give the students
respect when rightfully earned. This level of mutual respect can be earned by
professors. A solution is to raise awareness of the problem of incivility in the classroom.
In order to raise awareness, we will campaign by using propaganda around campus
bringing attention to the students that there is an issue in which they may be oblivious
to. It is crucial to give professors the information on how to handle the issue if it arises.

The goal of reducing the rate of incivility to zero is not easy to achieve; but we are
hoping that these recommendations help reduce the issue. We plan to decrease the
rate by 60% by the end of the school year. We are hoping that you can guide us in this
project and support our above-mentioned solutions. If you have questions, kindly
contact us at our department, (657) 278-7622. Thank you.