Faculty and students have a mutual responsibility within each course to negotiate methods and frequency of communication, submission of papers and projects and timeframes for evaluation feedback. Faculty should make their expectation of students clear in oral and written communication (course syllabi) as well as their process for the timely return of written assignments. Students who experience difficulty receiving information in courses should first discuss the matter with the faculty member. If no acceptable solution is obtained, the Course Coordinator, BSN Program Leaders, or MSN Specialty Coordinator should be consulted. If problems remain unresolved, the student may request the assistance of the Director of the relevant program (Undergraduate, Masters, or Doctoral).
Email Communication
Because communication today can be almost instantaneous, responses to e-mail are often expected to be equally rapid. Despite the best intentions of faculty or students, the anticipated promptness in replying to e-mail is not always possible. E-mails should be responded to in a timely fashion by both faculty and students. Common courtesy suggests that e-mail, in general, should be responded to, even if only acknowledging receipt, within 2 working days. When e-mail relates to an urgent or time-sensitive issue, responses should occur as soon as possible. Such e-mails, those that are urgent or require immediate response, should be labeled as such in the subject line. Faculty who will be out of their office for extended periods of time should consider using the automated vacation reply system that will notify students and others of your unavailability.
Office Hours
Office hours should be posted, even if the faculty member is only available by appointment. The method for making an appointment should also be included in the posted information.