Improving Communications Between Students and Sessional Lecturers

The purpose of this guide is to encourage discussions between sessional lecturers and department heads with the objective of improving the communication links between students and sessional lecturers.

Students may need to contact sessional lecturers outside of class hours, and there are many ways that this can be accomplished. What works well for one sessional lecturer at one teaching site may not be appropriate for another. The list that follows sets out some of the different options that can be considered. It is not intended to be inclusive but merely to provide the basis for discussions between sessional lecturers and the department heads.

Some Options:

• e-mail
  Accounts are available upon request to sessional lecturers who have current appointments and for five months following the appointment. Sessionals should apply at the Computing Services Help Desk (966-4817).
• computer access
  Most colleges and many departments make provisions for sessional lecturers to use college or departmental computers. Enquiries should be directed to the dean's office of the college to learn about what equipment is available in the college for sessional lecturers.
• voice mail
  Arrangements can be made through Telephone Services in Facilities Management to provide sessional lecturers with voice mailboxes that can be accessed from their home phones and do not require a campus telephone. Currently there is a $6 per month fee for each voice mailbox and a $25 installation fee. If a department head and sessional lecturer agree that voice mail is the preferred way for students to contact the sessional lecturer, the department head will attempt to find funds to pay for this service.
• home or office phone number
  Some sessional lecturers may prefer to provide their regular phone numbers to students, though others may prefer not to provide this information. The decision should rest solely with the sessional lecturer.
• confidential office space
  Depending on availability and the priorities of the department or college, it may be possible to provide confidential office space for sessional lecturers. If such offices are not available, consideration should be given to providing access to an appropriate place where sessional lecturers can meet with students to discuss matters of a sensitive or confidential nature.

Once the preferred modes of communication have been identified, sessional lecturers are encouraged to provide specific information to the students in their course outlines, and department heads are encouraged to provide the same information to the clerical staff in the department. Department heads and clerical staff are encouraged to contact sessional lecturers directly when communications require a timely response from the sessional lecturer.

It is also important for sessional lecturers to identify for the students the preferred procedures for submitting assignments outside of class time in order to ensure that assignments are delivered to a location that the instructor checks on a regular basis.