By Vinnie Mesolella

To ring or not to ring? That is the question. Whether ’tis nobler in the eyes of the cell phone user to answer and disturb, or for the professor to be distracted and disrespected.

The spontaneous rings of cellular phones in the classroom have jingled up some opinions amongst teachers and students alike. Although some may find the beat of 50 Cent’s “In Da Club” or Beethoven’s “Fifth Symphony” amusing for a cell phone ring, some professors and students are not as equally amused when it’s on their time and money.

It has happened to most students — in the middle of a lecture, a cell phone suddenly rings and heads bob up and down looking in their bags to make sure it’s not their phone. Moving faster than a race car in the Daytona 500, the individual who is “blowin’ up” scrambles to hit the silence key while trying to remain calm as classmates and their professor stare.

“When a cell phone goes off in class, I feel so embarrassed for the kid whose phone it is because everyone stares at them,” said Jean Elliot, a middler international economics major. “I don’t think it’s wrong for the cell to go off. It distracts the professor and it’s kind of rude, but if it’s an important phone call then I think it’s OK.”

Journalism professor Bill Kirtz said cell phones are not a problem.

“I have observed ruder cell phone behavior outside of Northeastern, like in theaters and museums,” He adds, “cell phones are going to ring. To me, it’s not that big of a deal. I rarely have had a problem in my classes.”

Some professors have a much different point of view on cell phones. Professor Barry Bluestone, the director of urban and regional policy, said, “cell phones are OK as long as they are shut off.”

Jokingly, he turned around and picked up a giant spiked mallet. He said that in the beginning of the semester, he threatened to bring it in and use it if cell phones became a problem.

“I assume that students have enough sense to realize that cell phones should be off during class time,” he said. “They are disruptive and disrespectful.”

Several students have suggested to Bluestone that if a cell phone goes off, the student should have to stand up and sing the song of the ring.

“When a cell phone goes off in class, I don’t really get upset about it because usually it’s mine,” said Justine Medina, a sophomore political science and economics major.

According to Medina, students sometimes answer their cell phone in class and walk out while still talking.

“I think that it’s not really a big deal to walk out of class and talk on the phone,” she said. “You never know if it’s an emergency.”

Michele Braun, a teacher’s assistant in the English department, said it depends on the class topic for the cell phone to cause a problem.

“I have had students come up to me before class explaining that they may expect an important phone call and ask if it’s OK to step outside of class and take the call,” she said.

Text messaging and vibrating options offer an inconspicuous way of receiving messages without disturbing others.

“In big classes I can’t stop students from fiddling with their phones, but in smaller classes I find it more offensive,” Bluestone said.

Whether or not a phone call or text message is really worth interrupting a class is up to the student. In the end, it ultimately becomes the student’s responsibility to decide what is best for the class and themselves.

“If you can talk or play on your phone while you’re in class and still get your work done, then I think it’s fine,” said Mitch James, a freshman undecided major. “It really depends on the person.”

“It’s your nickel,” said Kirtz. “If students want to leave class or talk on the phone instead of listening to me, it’s fine. They are the ones paying for it.”