With higher ownership of cell phones among University of Memphis students, distractions in classrooms from sending text messages are bound to happen, making some professors irate.
Students should read their professor's policies about cell phones, as many have stated in their syllabus that phones can be confiscated or students can be told to leave class and receive a zero for that day's work.
"It's just another form of socialization other than learning. It's a big distraction not only for students but also for me while I'm teaching," said Julie Harris, a professor of Spanish.
"On my syllabus I state 'please turn off your cell phone', and orally in class I say that if I catch you texting in class I will tell you to leave. Students pay for this education. It's your time and your money. If you can't text for 55 minutes maybe The University isn't the place for you."
If there is an emergency, answer your phone or text, but do so respectively by leaving class and don't disrupt the other students to see what parties are going on that night.
Others, however, don't see 'texting' as inappropriate.
"I don't understand why it's such a big deal," said J.P. Catalano, an engineering major. "It's a silent form of communication and sometimes it's an emergency."
Professors have learned to keep an eye open for the disturbances, especially during an exam since the correct answer could be just a text message away.
"My policy is that students may not have a phone out during an exam," said Donald Franceschetti, a professor of physics and chemistry. "Students may text to get the answers to the test, so cell phones are prohibited that day. I expect students to be reasonable about cell phone usage and I don't want to be a policeman in the classroom, so I try to expect adult behavior from the students and expect them to be honest and respectable."
