Provost's Classroom Visitor Guidelines

  1. Faculty generally have discretion to allow visitors into their classroom.

    • Faculty may restrict a visitor’s status to observer-only or may allow a visitor to participate or present to the class.

    • In determining whether to invite or permit a visitor to the classroom, a faculty member should consider the potential effect on the educational environment, including student expectations regarding the presence of third parties in the classroom.

    • Visitors should be asked to leave the classroom if their presence causes a disruption or other deleterious effect to the educational environment.

  2. University administrators may visit faculty classrooms for legitimate university purposes.

    • Examples of legitimate university purposes include, but are not limited to:

      • Evaluation of teaching as described in the faculty handbook, and regulatory or accreditation-related class visits.

    • An administrator should consider the potential effect of their visit on the educational environment and take steps to mitigate any potential disruption

      • Except when impractical, an administrator should pre-plan their visit with the faculty member to avoid any potential disruption

    • If a faculty member objects to an administrator’s presence in their classroom, both parties should work to resolve the issue in a manner that avoids disruption to the educational environment. If this approach fails, the disagreement should be resolved by the Provost’s Office with a preference for avoiding disruption to the educational environment.

  3. Visitors who do not fall into either of the above categories are generally not permitted into a faculty member’s classroom.

    • A faculty member may ask an unauthorized visitor to leave their classroom.

    • If an unauthorized visitor refuses to leave, a faculty member may take appropriate steps based on the circumstances, up to and including calling the Department of Campus Safety and Security or dialing 911.

Web page last updated: May 05, 2025