There are specific issues that only faculty can address. Here are some examples of situations where students must communicate with faculty:

• Requesting Course Add Codes

  For courses that require an add code to register, contact the faculty directly to request the add code.

  Clarification and Assistance with Course Work

  When you need to clarify an assignment, request an extension due to extenuating circumstances, address concerns about your grades, or seek help understanding certain topics, reaching out to your faculty can provide an opportunity for guidance and feedback.

  Discussing Research Opportunities and Independent Studies

  If you are interested in participating with a research project or would like to discuss the possibility of creating an independent study, faculty will be the first point of contact for you to explore these opportunities.

  Addressing Absences and Personal Issues

  Inform your faculty if you have missed or will miss a class due to illness, family emergencies, or other circumstances. Additionally, discuss any personal issues affecting your academic performance so that faculty can provide appropriate support, accommodations, or guidance on making up missed work.

  Requesting Recommendations

  When you need a letter of recommendation for scholarships, internships, or graduate school applications, discuss this with your faculty to see if they would be willing to support you with a letter.

  Seeking Career Advice

  Connect with faculty for guidance related to your major or career interests. They can provide insights on job search strategies, networking opportunities, industry trends, graduate school advice, and finding internships or other career development opportunities.

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Prep

1) Clarify Your Email Purpose: Pause and think about what you need from this communication with faculty. Give yourself space so you can clarify your goals to ensure your message is clear and focused.

2) Locate Faculty Contact Information: Faculty emails can be found on faculty pages on department websites or they can be located on their syllabus given at the beginning of the quarter.

3) Be Polite and Professional: Use polite language and maintain a professional tone throughout your email. Avoid using slang or overly casual language.

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3. 1) Use a Clear Subject Line: Make sure the subject line clearly indicates the purpose of your email. For example: "Request for Office Hours Meeting."

2) Greet Your Professor: Start your email with a polite greeting, such as "Dear Professor [Last Name]," or "Hello Dr. [Last Name],". Only use their first name if they have indicated they prefer to be addressed by their first name or if you have developed a closer relationship with the professor.

1. 3) Introduce Yourself: Briefly introduce yourself. Faculty serve many students, so it's important to remind them of who you are, which course you are in, and other relevant information.
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3. 4) Express Appreciation: Share gratitude for the professor’s time or a specific aspect of the class. Communication with faculty should be approached professionally, with respect and appreciation, to maintain a positive relationship.
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5. 5) Be Concise and Specific: Clearly state the purpose of your email and provide any necessary details. If you are referring to a specific assignment, lecture, or discussion, provide context to help the professor understand your question or concern. Be honest and as vulnerable as you feel safe to be. Faculty do not need to know every detail of a situation, but context is very important so faculty can best support you.
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7. 6) Request Assistance and Outline Your Plan: Explain how you plan to proceed with your needs. Clearly specify the type of assistance or information you need. Be precise to ensure your faculty can provide the appropriate support. Consider detailing your proposal:
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• -How do you plan to complete the work in the newly proposed timeline?
• -When do you plan to come to office hours?
• -How much time are you giving the faculty member to write a letter of recommendation?
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1. 7) Include Relevant Attachments: If your email refers to a document or assignment, attach it to the email. Mention in the email that you have attached the relevant files.

1. 8) Reiterate Understanding and Gratitude AGAIN: Recognize that your request for accommodations, extensions, or other matters is not guaranteed, and faculty have the discretion to approve or deny it. Show your understanding and appreciation for their consideration, regardless of the outcome.
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3. 9) Formally Sign Off: End your email with a polite closing. Remember, this is professional communication so this should require a formal closing, such as, "Best", "Sincerely", or "Much appreciation" followed by your full name.
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4. 10) Proofread Your Email: Before sending, proofread your email for any grammatical or spelling errors.
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6. 11) Follow Up, If Needed: If you do not receive a response within a reasonable time frame (e.g., a week), consider sending a polite follow-up email.

Example #1: Informing Professor of Personal Circumstances and Requesting an Extension

Hi Professor Washington -

My name is Kyle Seattle. I am in your ENGL 202 class. I really appreciate the discussions we have in class about prose, it makes me rethink how I write. I am contacting you because there's been a situation in my family that I had to tend to, so I haven't completed the upcoming writing assignment that's due this Friday. I am requesting an extension for the following Monday, October 14th rather than Friday October 11th.

I can speak with you during your office hours this Thursday and can show you my draft thus far or have further discussion on this situation.

I understand that this is a big ask and I appreciate your consideration for this request.

Best,

Kyle Seattle

Example #2: Requesting for a Faculty Member to Supervise your Independent Study 

Hello Professor Smith - 

I hope your Spring Break is going well. My name is Anne and I was in your CMS 315 course this past Winter quarter. The work you introduced us to regarding how technology is represented through media like films really made an impact on me and has actually inspired me to pursue my own research related to the topic. I know that the connection between technology and humanities is a large part of your own research based on the articles you've published so I was wondering if you would be willing to supervise my own independent study related to digital humanities and representations of immigrant identity. I have already gathered a plan for research but would like to earn independent study credit for this so I thought you would be the perfect person to ask to be a mentor with this work. 

If possible or if you have further questions on my research before you agree to be my supervisor for my Independent Study, I can schedule an appointment during your office hours. 

I know that overseeing independent study for students is a big commitment on your end so I understand if this does not work out. I still just want to say thank you for a wonderful class and your consideration! 

Best,

Anne Johnson

Example #3: Discussing a Grade Received in the Course 

Hello Professor Michaels - 

My name is Erin and I was a student in your ENGL 204 course this past Spring 2024. Firstly, thank you for sharing you knowledge this past quarter, I found the readings and the media presented in class was really fun and I'm so glad I was able to be part of this course.

With that, I do want to share a concern I have regarding my posted grade for the course. I received a 1.9 in the course and I had questions regarding how the final was graded. I've attached my a copy of my draft with previous feedback to this email as I believe I had made the correct revision to obtain a higher grade. However, I may have misunderstood the instructions and would love to get your thoughts on my work. 

Would it be possible to schedule a meeting with you to discuss this? 

I understand you may not be available due to summer approaching, but I'd really appreciate being able to speak with you if you can. Thank you again for your time and consideration. 

Best,

Erin Lee

• Common questions and answers related to faculty communication.

Q1: What if the faculty member doesn't respond back to my email? 
A: Faculty and staff can both get very busy so it's important to lead with patience when communicating with faculty and staff on campus. If you do not receive a response within 3 business days, you can try to follow up with the faculty member regarding the previously sent email. This can sound something like:

Hello Professor _______, 

I just wanted to follow up on this. Thank you again for your time!

Best,

However, depending on the request, sometimes faculty will not respond at all. Situations where this may happen would be when a student is requesting for an Add Code to be overloaded into a class. If a faculty member does not appear to respond to a request like this to be added to a course, it is best to assume that the faculty member is rejecting your request and to plan for a class alternative. Faculty may not respond because they have received many requests for permission to be added to courses and do not have the capacity to let every student know that they cannot add them to the class. 

Once again, requests to faculty are requests which are not guaranteed. 

Q2: Who should I ask for a letter of recommendation or to supervise my independent study research? 
A: It's important that students make these requests with intention. This means choose a faculty member that you trust and whose work, teaching, and research your respect. For independent study, you might want to look at the faculty's page and read over their previous published work to see if they'd be a strong fit to oversee your research as their goals may align with your's. For letters of recommendation, the faculty member should be someone who knows your work and learning style well. They should be able to speak to both your strengths and areas of growth.

We would discourage students from asking faculty for requests for letters of recommendation or to be supervisors of their independent study if they've only taken one class from the faculty member and it has been a bit of time since they've last spoken.

- For independent study, we would also discourage students from asking faculty whom they have never worked with before. Sometimes some faculty are willing to oversee independent study research for students they've never worked with, however, this is rare. 

- For letters of recommendation, let faculty know in advance (at least a month) before you need their letter of recommendation. Two weeks or less prior to a deadline is not an adequate amount of time for the faculty to construct a strong letter of recommendation. 

Q3: What is the best way to handle a disagreement on a grade?
A: If possible and the student feels comfortable, we recommend requesting a meeting (remotely or in-person) with the faculty member to discuss the situation with the course and grade. Students should approach the conversation with patience and with a respectful tone so as to present as much evidence as they can to support their case. For further information on how to handle grade disputes, we recommend reviewing the resource on our Faculty Academic Support Resources page found here. 

If you as a student do not feel that your concerns were heard during that conversation, you can schedule a meeting with our advising team and we can walk you through possible next steps and resources that could be helpful.