Every teacher has his or her rules, policies and expectations. Professors usually read off a laundry list of them on the first day and most are run-of-the-mill: turn in your homework, pay attention, take the tests, be on time. But what about no yawning without covering your mouth or not being allowed to relieve yourself during class? Students said they feel some professors at Sacramento State are going too far.

Business and economics professor George Jouganatos might fall into this category. In a handout he passes out on the first day of class, his syllabus reads: “Yawning is a normal bodily function. Please cover your mouth. Uncovered yawning looks awful?much more importantly it spreads germs.”

Making students’ eyebrows raise even more is the sixth item on the list: “If I ask you a question and you do not hear me or do not understand my question, do not respond with a ‘Huh?’ This is not a word.” He prefers that students say, “Excuse me?” or, “I beg your pardon?”

Jouganatos said he feels that he is simply helping students for their futures.

“There is a census among faculty that students’ manners have declined and students don’t realize their manners have declined. I’m helping them out,” Jouganatos said.

He said he believes that by helping students improve their manners, he is helping to not only create an effective learning atmosphere but is also “improving their job marketability since employers are looking for candidates who possess good people skills.”

Jouganatos is not the only professor on campus getting complained about though.

In recent years, there have been many added rules to ban the numerous technological devices students need to survive from the classrooms. These include no talking on cell phones, text messaging, or PDAs. Even more extreme, with the spike in students using laptops in class to take notes, some professors don’t even allow students to use them at all.

“I have one professor this semester who won’t allow us to bring laptops to class and if we do, he is allowed to look at them. Typing notes is obviously easier than writing and it’s 2008. I just don’t understand the point of not allowing them,” said Chris Berry, a junior business major.

Many professors think that laptops are just a distraction and are an excuse for students to surf the web to check their e-mail or MySpace and considers the negatives of them to outweigh the benefits.

In communication studies professor Robert Humphrey’s courses, he does not allow eating or restroom breaks during class time. He explains to students that both of these things can be done on their own time, before or after class. If nature calls anyway and you’re forced to leave your seat, then you risk taking a deduction in points. When asked for an explanation behind his rigid rules, Humphrey declined to comment.

Professors’ rules about timeliness are getting the thumbs down from students also. One professor in the business department asks that students stand at the front of the classroom if they are late and that they remain there until he allows them to sit. The idea behind this is that late students are a distraction to others.

“At first I thought it was embarrassing for the people that had to stand in front of everyone, but people started getting to class on time so I guess it worked and he knew what he was doing,” said Francisco Aguilling, a Sac State business accounting alumnus, leaving his professor’s name anonymous.

History professor Richard Cooper doesn’t even bother with making students feel awkward. He recommends that if students are even one minute late, they should just stay home because there’s no point in coming to class.

Criminal justice professor Dick Margarita does not allow hats in class. One of his current students, who declined to give his name, thinks “it’s a stupid rule?everyone wears hats. Why should we have to take them off?”

Some students may not vocalize their objections to the rules in class, but some express their feelings on sacrate.com, a website that allows students to submit their reviews of professors.

Tough rules don’t necessarily mean students don’t enjoy the course or admire the teacher. In fact, some students feel that challenging rules or expectations make them try even harder.

“Every teacher I’ve had that has placed difficult expectations on me has made me want to pass the class with flying colors even more. Sometimes teachers make up tough rules just to show their power. Who cares? Let them,” Joanna Mozdyniewicz, a senior recreation, parks and tourism administration major said.

This is very much true for professor Ann Moylan, of the Family and Consumer Sciences department. In her writing intensive “Family Stress and Coping” course, she assigns several papers throughout the semester. She does not allow students to go more than one line over or under the page requirement for each paper. In addition, she keeps a ruler handy to measure students’ margins and deducts points if they are too big or too small. While her rules might be stringent, her students highly respect her and because of this, they do not make a fuss or complain.

“Students have never complained to me or found it negative. They’re appreciative,” Jouganatos said.

Casey Kirk can be reached at [email protected]