timothy, policies are created to allow any institution to maintain order and discipline. Typically there are policies that are created due to factors outside of academics such as insurance and liability for different states. As instructors we need to be in sync with our administration and take their lead as to how the policies are to be implemented. Some of the most restrictive policies tend to be created to allow better management of less than 5% of situations that ever take place within an institution and as such need to be managed carefully. All students need to be treated equally but not all students follow the rules equally well. A student that is habitual about breaking rules will always be managed differently than a student that has broken a rule for the first time. I hope this makes sense. Disagree with me and lets carry on with this discussion. Could be a great springboard into a conversation we can take into The Maxknowledge Lounge - http://www.careercollegelounge.com/. James Jackson