For example, I have had students whose spouses were pregnant and asked to keep their cell phone on and that was no problem.

I think it's less about coming up with a list of what is or is not allowed, and it's more about making sure people understand the classroom is supposed to be a place where learning can go on, and if it's disruptive, people have the authority to eliminate disruption.

If a student or anyone ever came into a classroom and it was disruptive, it's always the faculty person's right to ask that person to leave and if they wouldn't leave to call the police and ask the police to remove the person.

All these policies are subject to review at least once every five years. Five years from now some situations may have arisen that we did not anticipate.

I would hope that most people would know that you shouldn't be talking on a cell phone in class.