One of my kid's college profs is really strict about cell phones. If your cell phone rings during class that's 2 points off you're score for the semester. So, if your cell phone rings during class, after 5 rings you'd drop a letter grade. However, he's strict on enforcement, so I don't think it happens more than once to many students.
That's a good idea. That would work in a small class, like the ones I was in. It's not hard to turn it off and pick up any missed messages later. Good grief, how did the human race survive BEFORE cell phones anyway. /roll eyes
One of the worst cell phones offenses I ever saw was in church one time. A guy's phone went off, he answered it, then stood up, and while talking on it, walked out of the church from almost halfway up. An NO, he wasn't a doctor or in some emergency related field. THEY know how to be courteous and you don't hear theirs.