In dealing with students who are noisy, disruptive, or procrastinators, and also intimidators, I think it is important to know that the teaching institution will back you up in what you are doing, and that students can not complain about you for doing your job to keep order and fairness in the course. Does anyone have insights into whether on-line instructor have the support of their employers in handling difficult students? I think it would be hard for an instructor to "go it alone", especially since they lack personal knowledge of the student. Comments?