One of the worst things about managing people is enacting discipline, no matter how necessary or deserved.
The dread and uncertainty that accompanies employee discipline is compounded when the employee is a student. Managing students means striking a balance between supporting them through the learning process and creating a realistic professional environment that prepares them for their professional futures.
The importance of this balance led me to draft a formal student discipline policy that later was approved by the student editorial board I advise.
The Student Discipline policy, which is based on a “three strikes” approach to management, is a formal part of the publications manual. I encourage you to adapt and use the policy for managing your own student or peer staff.
The Student Discipline policy reads:
The purpose of Student Publications is for students to have a hands-on learning experience. Because of the nature of this purpose, there is a student discipline process based on the “three strikes” rule. Students will be given two opportunities to improve and learn from whatever behavior is deemed in appropriate. On the third violation, the student will be terminated. Exceptions to the “three strikes” rule would include any violation that threatens harm to another staffer or the overall publication. The process is as follows:
- Strike 1 – Student meets privately with the adviser to discuss the offense and learn from the mistake made. The supervising editor will be informed of the issue. The student will sign a “strike” form.
- Strike 2 – Student meets privately with the adviser and a member of the editorial board to discuss why the offense continues or why the student has multiple offenses. Solutions are offered to avoid such problems in the future. The student will sign a “strike” form.
- Strike 3 – Editorial board votes in a private meeting on whether to continue employing the student. The adviser informs the student of the board’s decision. Students terminated by a vote of the editorial board are unlikely to be hired again by Student Publications. The student will sign a “strike” form.
A few additional notes:
Strike 1 is an educational opportunity. This is the reason that only the immediate supervising editor and myself are aware of the infraction and the student meets with just me.
The editorial board member referenced in Strike 2 is always the students immediate supervisor. For example, a problem with a writer would constitute a meeting with myself and the copy editor while a problem with a photographer would result in a meeting with myself and the photo editor. The editor-in-chief can fill in for any editorial board member if necessary, but it’s best for hte staffer to receive specific instruction from the editor he/she works with most closely. My role in this meeting is as a moderator, if necessary.
Students who are meeting for their third strike are almost always asked to resign. This allows them to “save face” with their peers and provides the option for re-employment consideration. Students who wish to resign must do so according to the Student Resignation policy.
The signed strike forms are kept in each student’s file in my office. This allows me to continue keeping records and remembering meetings with the various students after editors have graduated. This has provided me with the information needed to sometimes rehire students who left on good terms and provided a foundation for not repeating hiring mistakes.
Finally, any student can be fired by a vote of the editorial board at any time during the process. This is done only in extreme circumstances. For example, a student who was accused of harassing another employee likely would be terminated immediately.
Let’s Talk Nerdy!
I hope you find this post helpful in guiding a difficult situation. Is there anything you don’t see referenced in the policy that should be addressed? Is there something you do differently that works better? Comments and criticisms are always welcome.
