Office Hours and Email Response for Faculty

Purpose

Engagement in the life of the university and the well-being of students should be the primary focus of all faculty.

Scope

This policy applies to all faculty.

Policy

Outlook Calendars

Keep calendars up to date and available on Outlook for teaching time, time off, leaves, professional development travel, student drop-in hours, and department/college/university meetings.

Please refer to the Paid and Unpaid Time Off and Leave of Absence Types policy found in the Policy Library.

Student Drop-In (Office) Hours

Faculty are to provide a minimum of two (2) in-person student drop-in hours for each course taught across each week of the semester up to a maximum of 8 in-person hours per week. If faculty are on a fully remote contract, student drop-in hours and most other activities are to be carried out virtually. Student drop-in hours are to be set based on peak times and modality for student availability (depending on the program, level, and type) and posted outside the faculty office door for all full-time faculty and on each syllabus in Canvas for all faculty.

Availability

Please refer to Employment Classifications & Flexible Work Designations

Email Response Time

Faculty will strive to reply to all emails/calls by the next business day (ideally within 24 hours).

Summer Responsibilities for 9-month Faculty

During off-contract periods, faculty must have out-of-office messages direct all communications to a supervisor, or designate, who is on-contract and able to respond to messages per your college’s direction.