The central purpose of scheduled academic activities in classrooms, laboratories, and studios is the pursuit of specific academic goals. Nothing should be done in these settings that distracts from the respect or focus that is necessary for the achievement of these goals. Hence, it is not appropriate for faculty or students to bring animals or children into these settings, except when the animals or children are themselves the focus of the academic activity. Also inappropriate are certain kinds of behavior, such as eating, that should take place in other settings, unless such activity has been sanctioned by the instructor for some good reason. In all such instances, however, it is a basic courtesy for those bringing food or drink into a classroom, laboratory, or studio to dispose of any related refuse after the academic activity is over, and not to leave it for the next group of faculty and students to pick up. Similarly, faculty or students who move furniture into unusual arrangements to suit their own particular purposes should move it back into its original position, for the next occupants, before leaving.

No one wants to create a system of strict rules about classroom courtesy when common sense, good will, and appropriate adaptation to unusual circumstances should suffice. As regards "adaptation," it is obvious that rare emergency situations - e.g., the topic of the class or a potentially unsafe environment in a laboratory or studio - suggests that such attendance would not be wise, the instructor may use discretion to allow an exception. But such exceptions are clearly to be exceptional, not normal.

Finally it should be obvious that University personnel, such as staff, have not been hired to tend animals or children, and they ought not be asked to do so except (again) in very rare and unavoidable circumstances.