Agenda for CSE Department Meeting 2-21-24

101 lectures

Sana would like everyone to give a guest lecture in CSE/IT 101.

Office Hours Guidance

VPAA has asked department to draft guidance for faculty on office hours.

From facultyfocus.com come the following propositions:

• maximize the number of students who can meet during your office hours. consult students to find out when is best.
• move aside everything physically and psychologically that interferes with time set aside for students.
• use every possible means to let students know when are your office hours
• give students your complete attention during office hours

The University of Florida office of the Provost has posted some fine office hour guidelines.

Washington State University has an Office Hours Best Practices document with helpful suggestions.

From these various sources, please give me feedback on this draft NMT CSE office hour guidelines:

Faculty-student interactions during office hours are an important part of instruction and contribute to student success. Faculty shall provide students predictable access to faculty time outside of class. This time may be used by students to reinforce classroom learning, discuss class performance, for academic advising, academic course and program selection, and professional development.

The time set aside for office hours must be provided in as many conspicuous places as possible, such as the syllabus, Canvas, the department office, and outside of their faculty office. Posting office hours is important for students so they are aware of the faculty member's availability. It is also important for departmental administration and professional staff who must answer questions about faculty availability.

In general, office hours are to be held on campus during reasonable times of the day. However, faculty may designate specific times for virtual office hours through e-mail or telephone/video/chat room consultation. Faculty who are teaching fully on-line courses to non-residential students must also maintain an appropriate schedule of predictable available times for student access.

Office hour expectations and the format of office hours may vary by the nature of the course, the number of students enrolled, and individual academic unit guidelines. We recognize that in our department faculty routinely conduct far more office hours by appointment for instruction and advising, driven by students' needs, than the regularly scheduled office hours. It is anticipated, however, that faculty will designate a minimum of one hour of regular schedule office time per week for each regular (3-4 credit, graded) course. Office hours may be held by appointment but may not be restricted to by-appointment only.

Faculty are welcome to:

• Insist that students prepare and know what their questions are
• After answering a "reasonable" number of questions, if other students are waiting, give the student a task to work on for awhile, and reschedule for another day if further help is needed.
• Ask questions that lead the student towards knowledge, rather than just repeat the lecture material.
• Refer a student to the department chair when their behavior exceeds reasonable parameters.
• Request that all their students come visit in office hours (at least once in the semester, or within the first month)

Faculty should avoid:

• Missing scheduled office hours, or rejecting student visits during office hours, without an explanation.
• Becoming defensive when a student brings a complaint.
• Allowing some students to monopolize office hours when others are waiting.
• Giving some students more and friendlier access to office hours than others.
• Treating students rudely or becoming short-tempered.