Z may be pale, but she is nonetheless Mexican. She has been working in departments of Spanish and Portuguese since 1978, and studying in them since 1974.
Z: This student not only wants to be exempt from coursework, she is also disruptive and invasive. She interrupts everyone, not just me. In class she will not sit anywhere but next to me, and she will not stop tapping me on the shoulder or caressing my arm. In the halls, if I am talking to another student and have not seen her, she comes up from behind, puts her hands on my shoulders, and spins me around so that I can see her. It is very startling.
I have spoken to her about all of these behaviors and she says she understands, but she continues. She really needs advice on meeting academic expectations in college, and on behavior – in class and outside of it.
Anglo Administrative Staff: You probably need to become more culturally sensitive. This is how Hispanic people are. I have an article about it, here.
Axé.
coldhearted scientist وداد 
Dang I’d want to slap that kid. She seems incredibly rude! I mean she’s basically physically harassing you all the time, right? Does your institution have some kind of policy on that subject you could tactfully hand her a copy of? I hope this situation improves!
If she were a kid, I’d have “slapped” her already, but she is close to 40. We have an unwanted touch policy but it is really about overt sexual harassment or battery and as you can see, the administrative staff person I asked about applying this policy says it is I who must adjust.