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[badgerbadger]

My syllabus states that students must write all class communications with professionalism in tone, grammar, and content. They are told that they will be graded accordingly. If they write anything that is inappropriate, I tell them that it is unprofessional and inappropriate. I tell them that in their professional lives, such a communication could get them disciplined or terminated, but in their school lives it only affects their grade.


Sometimes a blunt dose of reality is all it takes.

[littlefred]

I teach several online courses, and I find many of these ideas to be very good.

Infopri: I have had classes like that as well, where they just 'wore me down' and I began to ignore the unprofessional-ism.

Usually, though, when I get an email that strikes the wrong chord, I start my reply with a standard paragraph about professionalism and nettiquette. I also remind them that there is a real person on the other end of the keyboard, and we all need to give each other the benefit of the doubt. Writing can be easily misconstrued and I want them to keep in mind to give each other (and me) the benefit of not communicating well, rather than snark.

Usually it works, but when it doesn't, I have no problem reporting them to the Dean of Students for their behavior. Many have been shocked at being reprimanded. One was expelled.

Most of the time, though, I get a reply that starts with "I'm sorry".

of course, I encourage them to clarify anything I write that comes off the wrong way! This has resulted in my responding with my own "I'm sorry" as well.

[der_gadfly]

My typical first instinct and gut reaction to snot-mail is to simply reply (using the high priority flag):

"Please elaborate."

(note: repeat as necessary)

When the complaint from the chair/dean occurs, print out the entire email thread, attach a copy of your statement about improper emailing from your syllabus, then sit and smile a la Cheshire Cat.

[infopri]

My typical first instinct and gut reaction to snot-mail is to simply reply (using the high priority flag):

"Please elaborate."

(note: repeat as necessary)

When the complaint from the chair/dean occurs, print out the entire email thread, attach a copy of your statement about improper emailing from your syllabus, then sit and smile a la Cheshire Cat.

That might work with your dean (and, if so, god bless), but mine would not be amused or pleased --with any faculty member who did this.  Nor would she appreciate our dumping something like this in her lap instead of dealing with it ourselves.

[der_gadfly]

My typical first instinct and gut reaction to snot-mail is to simply reply (using the high priority flag):

"Please elaborate."

(note: repeat as necessary)

When the complaint from the chair/dean occurs, print out the entire email thread, attach a copy of your statement about improper emailing from your syllabus, then sit and smile a la Cheshire Cat.

That might work with your dean (and, if so, god bless), but mine would not be amused or pleased --with any faculty member who did this.  Nor would she appreciate our dumping something like this in her lap instead of dealing with it ourselves.

Well, since there probably were no guidelines given to me about proper responses, The Dean would now be forced to deal with preparing a rubric for proper faculty responses to such emails. Under the right circumstances, forcing the issue could tie up faculty governance committees for months, all while bringing the problem to the attention of the administration. In reality, administration talks big about how they provide opportunities for faculty to develop professionally, yet they typically fail to walk that walk.

[infopri]

My typical first instinct and gut reaction to snot-mail is to simply reply (using the high priority flag):

"Please elaborate."

(note: repeat as necessary)

When the complaint from the chair/dean occurs, print out the entire email thread, attach a copy of your statement about improper emailing from your syllabus, then sit and smile a la Cheshire Cat.

That might work with your dean (and, if so, god bless), but mine would not be amused or pleased --with any faculty member who did this.  Nor would she appreciate our dumping something like this in her lap instead of dealing with it ourselves.

Well, since there probably were no guidelines given to me about proper responses, The Dean would now be forced to deal with preparing a rubric for proper faculty responses to such emails. Under the right circumstances, forcing the issue could tie up faculty governance committees for months, all while bringing the problem to the attention of the administration. In reality, administration talks big about how they provide opportunities for faculty to develop professionally, yet they typically fail to walk that walk.

Well, I guess this is where school culture enters the picture.  My dean wouldn't spend more than the time it took to read the email on something like this.  She'd ask the student-services people to deal with it (assuming there's any real problem, vs. just student rudeness), and she'd make a mental note at contract-renewal time that perhaps I wasn't so well-suited for the classroom after all.  She certainly would not put student rudeness on a faculty-meeting agenda, let alone assign it to a committee to waste time on.

And, lest anyone misinterpret what I'm saying here, let me be clear:  I have a great dean, and she trusts her faculty to own their classrooms (as johnproctor so nicely phrased it long ago) and to know how to respond to student emails--without needing "guidelines"--no matter how rude or otherwise inappropriate a student's demeanor or email might be.

[kedves]

I won't comment on my dean, but I'd be very disappointed if anyone spent time designing a rubric to manage faculty responses to student emails when our classrooms are falling apart.