College Student Character Dysfunction
It’s time we set some expectations for our students that go beyond the syllabus.
By Angela Walmsley and Jeffrey McManemy
Most professors have encountered them: students who don’t seem to grasp basic expectations for social interaction, those who demand immediate attention or special treatment from their teachers. There’s the student who telephones her professor at home late on a weeknight because she’s having difficulties with a paper due the following day. Or the student who frantically asks to speak to his professor as class is about to start, wanting to know why the professor hasn’t responded to an e-mail he sent the night before—he was unable to complete his assignment as a result and expects an extension.
Some professors might have encountered administrators who inadvertently encourage such behavior—consider the dean who insists at a faculty meeting that every syllabus provide multiple ways for students to contact professors, including personal phone numbers. Others might have attended faculty meetings at which professors have debated the concept of “reasonable access” in our technology-driven, global society. Should faculty respond to voice mail and e-mail throughout the day, including in the evening and on the weekend? Or should restrictions be placed on faculty-student communication to help students develop a sense of social boundaries?
Character Dysfunction
The ability of graduates to engage in productive activities, sustain fulfilling relationships, and adapt to an ever-changing world is a mark of an institution’s effectiveness. Character development therefore is an essential part of the experiential process of learning. Verna Carson, a leading nursing scientist, states in Foundations of Mental Health Nursing that in order to cultivate character growth, faculty and staff members need to be cognizant of strategies for helping students develop a pattern of behavior that allows them to adapt to different environments and cultural, ethnic, and community standards. “Character dysfunction”— which we define as a deficiency in social skills necessary for successful professional relationships—often leads to communication disruptions and unsatisfactory interactions between students and faculty and staff. Allowing students to graduate from college unable to function adequately in the interpersonal realm or in our global society is a disservice to all involved.
Though no exact medical or diagnostic criteria for character dysfunction exist, certain behaviors provide evidence of such dysfunction. For example, the inability of an individual to recognize his or her own strengths and weaknesses, to demonstrate “boundary control” by avoiding actions that overstep socially respected boundaries, and to interact socially without expecting others to meet one’s needs immediately are all signs of character dysfunction. A student who is inflexible and has weak impulse control and poor boundary control contributes to a classroom environment that is not conducive to learning.
Role of Educators
The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) states on its Web site that the goal of character education “is to raise children to become morally responsible, self-disciplined citizens”; according to the ASCD, “problem solving, decision making, and conflict resolution are important parts of developing moral character.” All primary and secondary educational institutions should be working toward this goal. However, not all students enter postsecondary education with these skills. In fact, while a multitude of resources related to character education in the K–12 setting are available, there is little literature dedicated to character education in higher education. Professors expect their students to possess communication skills and know how to interact respectfully with others, and many are at a loss when faced with the student who is unable to function in an adult-centered environment.
Such communication difficulties may be associated with technological developments that have made immediate response and instant gratification possible. Students are used to being able to look up a topic on the Internet and find answers immediately; they are accustomed to being able to reach anyone they wish to contact by home phone, cell phone, e-mail, instant messaging, or pager. This expectation of immediacy is transferring into relationships everywhere—including those in the classroom.
Moreover, many professors inadvertently contribute to dysfunctional behaviors. For example, some professors answer e-mail day and night without restricting student expectations for feedback. A professor may answer e-mail during nonstandard business hours because of convenience, but if the professor does not make it clear that students should not always expect such immediate feedback, some students may come to depend upon this kind of communication. Other professors may offer to accept phone calls at all times, and even regularly meet students during nonstandard business hours. Acceptance of phone calls during inappropriate hours could contribute to what may become a continual problem.
Addressing the Problem
There are many strategies that professors can use to enable students to develop more appropriate ways of interacting with others. First, faculty should clearly delineate their expectations for student behavior—both inside and outside the classroom. Faculty should be clear about setting boundaries, react consequentially to inappropriate behavior, and themselves model expected behaviors. Some faculty members might choose to develop contractual agreements that specify expectations for interaction between teacher and student; students must be held responsible for inappropriate behavior. It may be beneficial to refer students who have trouble with boundary control and limit setting to counseling and guidance centers.
Professors should also be clear in syllabi and discussion about when and how they will respond to student concerns. For example, if a student calls a professor by telephone late at night, a professor’s first response, after filtering the content of the communication, should be to postpone the conversation until a more appropriate time (except, of course, in a true emergency). If a student sends a confrontational e-mail inquiry, and that inquiry cannot be resolved appropriately by e-mail, the professor should request a face -to- face meeting for constructive interaction rather than engage in a nonproductive “back-and-forth” exchange.
Another strategy is to promote faculty discussions that create a learning environment that is equitable for all faculty and students. This process includes development of syllabus addenda that identify appropriate student behaviors, lay out expectations, and define consequences for students who fail to adhere to the standards of behavior expected of a mature, responsible person. Many universities already have judicial boards in operation that deal with student misconduct. Faculty must go a step further and develop protocol for appropriate interaction. Some colleges and universities have developed behavioral management codes for both students and faculty. (See, for example, Saint Louis University’s code for behavior: www.slu.edu/colleges/cops/behav_stand_code.pdf.)
Many of the faculty reading this article will have encountered students like those described at the outset of this article—students who believe it is their right to have constant access to their professors. Discussion of the role of technology in faculty-student interaction is becoming more common in faculty meetings and lounges. It is crucial that faculty develop and enforce strategies that support character development and cultivate social skills in students. Graduates entering the workforce, becoming parents, and getting involved in community organizations cannot be successful or good role models for future generations if the cycle of character dysfunction continues.
Angela Walmsley is assistant professor of research methodology at Saint Louis University. Her interests include mathematics education, preservice teacher education, and research methods in K–12 schools. Her e-mail address is walmsley@slu.edu. Jeffrey McManemy is professor of nursing at St. Louis Community College. His interests include student retention in nursing education and industry career ladder development. His e-mail address is jmcmanemy@stlcc.edu.
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