Undergraduate and Graduate Student Professional Behavior and Disposition Expectations
PART I
Dear Recreation Outdoor Education Majors and Minors & Graduate Students,
As a means to strengthen the quality of the overall culture and atmosphere within the Recreation
Outdoor Education and M.Ed. – E.E. programs and the student body here at UMD, the
outdoor/environmental education team has decided on a set of professional disposition expectations
that will be implemented for all our students beginning fall 2010. Faculty in all your classes, whether the
class is within our department or outside, will be unified toward facilitating the desired positive
outcomes of our approach.
1. Arrive to all classes early and leave late whether inside or outside the major; for classes not
taught by the outdoor education team, sit in the first few rows and ask engaging questions
during lectures and discussions (i.e. be proactive leaders in your classes) – this will require that
you have completed all assigned readings.
2. Be polite to all professors and peers in all forms of written and verbal communication.
Disagreements during class sessions related to content that are positively presented,
constructive, proactive, and critical thinking based will be accepted.
3. Maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA across all classes; below a 2.5 for a semester = academic
probation; below a 2.5 for two semesters = need to reapply to the major.
4. Act in a manner that promotes physical and emotional safety of faculty and peers at all times.
Acting in a manner that jeopardizes the safety of the program, or people in it, is grounds for
removal from the program.
5. Be a PRO!
Professional
Responsible
On top of your game
PART II
These items need to be addressed directly and head on. Where, when, and in what classes needs to be
up to us as a team. If students learn these ways of interacting from the get go, they can carry the
behavior throughout their college careers.
Students can have input as to how this happens:
1. How to be held accountable when they do "mess up" (i.e. let down their peers or teachers; don’t
follow through on a responsibility) without feeling like their self worth is being attacked
2. How to openly give and receive honest and constructive feedback (they report "feeling
bad" about this and don't know how to handle it).
3. How to hold each other accountable and responsible for high quality standards as a
community based norm (i.e. EXPEDITION BEHAVIOR IN ALL SETTINGS)