Tips for Faculty Contact

Communicating Online

Identify Faculty Rules

• Identify faculty email address(es) to be used• Carefully read general directions for emailing

instructor– Do they require a special subject line?– Do they require a first-time message sent to them

to add you to a distribution list?– Do they require the use of email only in

Blackboard?

Check Your Accuracy

• Spelling of the username/domain? Important!!!

• user@dmail.dixie.edu is a STUDENT account• user@dixie.edu is a FACULTY account

Sending Mail

• To: - this send to the primary recipient. In this case, your teacher

• CC: - this is a courtesy copy box– Always send yourself a cc– Confirmation that an email was sent at a certain

date/time– If option exists, select “request read receipt”• Verifies that the email was looked at by the receiver

Receiving Mail

• Make sure to add all of your teacher’s email addresses to your safe sender’s list– This will make sure that when a teacher does

reply, you don’t lose it in the mix– Check your Junk and/or spam folders• Follow-up with marking as safe sender

– Add your faculty to your addressbook• Eliminates chances for typos

Technology is not an Excuse

• My computer hard drive crashed. NOT!• The computer won’t recognize my thumb/USB

NOT!• I did it in Microsoft works and now it won’t

open on campus in Microsoft Office. NOT!• I know I sent it. It must have gotten lost in the

mail. NOT!• Any other excuse. NOT!

YOU are Responsible

• You as the student are responsible to:– Get the email address right– Certify a copy to yourself– Follow-up to make sure the assignment arrived– Make your due dates one day earlier than the

instructor has designated• Allows for “real” technology glitches• Gives you breathing room

– There are campus computer labs to use when you own computer fails but not at 11:59p when the due time is midnight

Keep a log

• Start from the beginning of the semester– If you have it, you probably won’t need it.– If you don’t have it, it is not a resource in conflict

• Document in writing– If you leave a document with a secretary, ask her

to sign for it.– The secretary said….

What if?

• What if you have followed all of these guidelines and you don’t get an answer?– Multiple documented attempts – one unanswered

email is not yet an issue until you try to resolve it and still get no response

– Multiple resources – email, phone, secretary– Every faculty member has a department chair. Once

you have exhausted your efforts with the faculty member him/herself, make an appointment with the chair

– Use campus directory to find who you need

Going Above Their Heads

• Keep a folder of hard copy evidence – rhetoric doesn’t cut it – Keep a log of contacts made – email, phone, when

physically at office. Note witnesses – have them sign

– Keep a hard copy of your printed emails showing the days and times of contact

– Keep a copy of any replies from faculty

Classes Online

• Online faculty have a particularly important responsibility to check and respond to emails in a timely manner

• Recommended that a 24 hour response time be used to return emails and phone calls – but review your syllabus to see what’s in writing

• Assignment return may take more time than that. Take note of turnaround time noted in your syllabus or orientation to the course

Classes Online

• First point of contact should always be the instructor

• Next point of contact should be the department chair

• With online courses, you may ask me to be part of the process after you have pursued the first two– Becky A. Smith, 652-7836, bsmith@dixie.edu– Mo Eckroth knows who I am so ask