Supporting Students the First Week of Classes

We often highlight due dates, but students also benefit from knowing when to start working. Based on your experience, when should a student begin a project or paper to do well? Let them know. This helps guide their time management and leads to stronger submissions.

Students may have failed your course before: share with your new class what those individuals did to earn a failing grade. We often spend time emphasizing what success looks like but neglect to caution students on how to avoid failure.

Go beyond the syllabus blurb. Tell students how many hours they should expect to spend on reading, studying, and preparing for class each week. You might also include a low-stakes syllabus quiz to ensure they’ve reviewed key information.

Let students know how to contact you, when to expect a response, and how to handle common issues. Consider using UB Learns announcements to proactively address frequently asked questions and reduce email volume.

Don’t assume students know what “office hours” mean. Explain their purpose and whether appointments are needed. Also, be sure to identify where your office is! This will encourage students to reach out for help when they need it.

Include a phonetic spelling of your name’s pronunciation on your syllabus and encourage your students to do the same on their first assignment submission. Students are often intimidated by their professors’ expertise and credentials, so something as simple as knowing how to properly pronounce your name removes a barrier to communicating with you.