FACULTY OFFICE HOURS

Effective: August 15, 2024

Purpose: To outline the requirements for University faculty to designate office hours to be available to their students.

Scope: This policy applies to all University faculty campus wide.

Responsible Office: Academic Affairs

Policy Statement: During each semester that they teach, faculty members will establish office hours proportional to their teaching load, up to five (5) scheduled office hours per week for those teaching a full load, as determined by the academic unit.   Office hours may be designated as student hours, open-door hours, help hours, tutoring, or other similar names. During those hours, faculty will ordinarily be available to students for consultation. The scheduling of office hours will take into account the students’ convenience in time, location, and format, which may include face-to-face or electronic communication (e.g., email, learning management systems, websites, or other communication media), as well as individual academic unit guidelines.  The format will vary by the nature of the course. A faculty member will also be available up to two (2) hours per week to meet by special appointment with students who are unable to meet during scheduled office hours. Faculty members may establish more than five (5) scheduled office hours and may hold more than two (2) special appointment hours per week. The head of an academic unit may not require faculty members to establish more than 5 scheduled office hours and more than two (2) special appointment hours per week, unless the additional hours are part of a chronic low performance plan. During the first week of a course, all faculty members will communicate their office hours to students and the head of the academic unit.  Faculty will specify office hours and location within all course syllabi. Each academic unit head is responsible for ensuring policy compliance.

Definitions: All words and phrases shall be interpreted utilizing their plain meanings unless otherwise defined in another University or Board of Regents policy or by statute or regulation.

Procedures: All procedures linked and related to the policies above shall have the full force and effect of policy if said procedures have first been properly approved by the University’s administrator in charge of Academic Affairs.

[Academic Affairs procedures - coming soon]

Related Policy Information: [coming soon]