Close student-faculty interaction is a hallmark of Penn State Behrend and one of the major reasons that students choose Behrend. The benefits of this interaction are clear, and we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. Students should be aware, however, that faculty have many responsibilities and need to set boundaries. To provide the maximum benefit for all students, the ME faculty have adopted the following expectations for student behavior:
- Respect your instructor’s method of controlling access. Most faculty have an open-door policy, which means you are welcome as long as the door is open. If your instructor’s door is closed, do not interrupt. If you need to meet with your instructor at times other than office hours, it is best to schedule an appointment.
- Be prepared when you visit your instructor’s office. For example, if you need help with homework, do what you can to the best of your ability, bring in what you have already done, and be ready to ask specific questions. If you are meeting with your adviser for class scheduling, have a draft of the schedule ready.
- Be certain that an office visit is necessary. If you are looking for information, make sure that you check the resources that are available, such as the course Canvas site, syllabus, and text.
- Be professional in your communications with faculty. Emails should be respectful and be written using proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation. When arriving for an unscheduled appointment outside of office hours, always ask the instructor if this is a good time for a meeting.
- Keep in mind that our educational objective is to develop critical thinking skills. Don’t expect that you will necessarily get an answer to your questions—your instructor’s response to a question may be another question. This is not meant to be evasive, but instead is a technique used for teaching.
Your faculty are a resource to help you develop as an independent thinker—use them that way!