January-February 2007

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Etiquette for the Professoriate

Do you want respect from your students? Start with your own manners.

By Ronald S. Lemos

In writing about etiquette, my goal isn’t to talk about how to behave at tea with the board of trustees. And I am not interested in the proper title with which to address honorary degree recipients. The etiquette that concerns me is the kind we used to worry about back in the days of Emily Post—standards for the way we treat one another in everyday encounters. Etiquette involves showing respect and concern for others’ well-being and comfort. It is not just for special occasions or something you practice only when you want to impress someone. Etiquette should be practiced all the time with every type of person—including students. If our society is becoming less civil, perhaps we faculty members are not doing as much as we should to set an example of what a civilized society should look like.

You might respond that you don’t want to be a role model and ask why you should have to set an example. Well, you are a role model to various constituencies whether you like it or not. Or you might say that you are an individual and don’t like acting phony for anyone. Etiquette is not, however, about being a person you are not. It is about civility and respect and building a society that we all want to live in. Alternatively, you might argue that formality creates distance from students. This is true. But distance is appropriate, and students want it. Faculty members are mentors, academic leaders, and most important, evaluators of student performance. Formality provides a useful structure for helping students accomplish their academic objectives.

Here are some other cases you might make against etiquette: following social rules is too much trouble; I just don’t have social skills; or I am already a successful faculty member without having to worry about etiquette. True, following social rules may be difficult at first. But treating others with civility and respect soon becomes a natural part of everyday behavior. And none of us is born with etiquette skills—they are learned behaviors. Also, codes of etiquette continue to change and evolve as society becomes more complex. We must all continually update our skills. And we all have a responsibility to help build the society we want to live in. We all respond positively to civility and respect. Therefore, the more successful you are, the greater your obligation is to serve as a role model for others.

Etiquette for Professors

I propose the following set of rules based on my own experience and observations. The list is not exhaustive, and I welcome additions. Some items may be controversial, and you might not want to adopt all of them. But I believe that adding any of these rules to our campus culture would be a positive step.

Attire

This item is potentially the most controversial on my list. However, professional dress codes would have the greatest effect on campus climate and culture. When involved in any university or college function, especially teaching, faculty should wear business attire: coat and tie for men (preferably a suit) and professional attire for women. Business attire commands a much higher level of respect than casual wear. It represents authority, professionalism, confidence, and expertise.

The professoriate is a profession, similar to medicine, law, politics, and business. Most, if not all, high-level professions have formal or informal codes of ethics, conduct, and dress. For these professions, the standard of dress is business attire. Why not have a faculty dress code?

I recognize that many, if not most, faculty negatively associate a coat and tie with the corporate world or, worse yet, university administrators. But a coat and tie represent much more in our society. We dress up out of a sense of respect, civility, or simple etiquette. We should treat going to class with the same high level of importance.

An even more revolutionary approach would be to return to the sartorial elegance of academic regalia as the dress code for faculty. Once again, why not? This dress code is already accepted for graduations and honors convocations. Like judges’ robes, professorial gowns connote the highest levels of respect and professionalism.

The professoriate is under attack on many fronts, including among students, administrators, legislators, parents, employers, and communities. A higher standard of dress would improve our professional image and support a campus climate characterized by civil behavior and mutual respect.

Verbal Interaction

How we talk with students is important. Etiquette creates a positive learning environment that encourages mutual respect and helps to avoid miscommunication and confrontations. We should address students formally (Mr., Ms., Mrs., Miss) at all times, in and outside of class. Students should never address faculty members by their first names. If they do, correct them politely. Students should be required to address faculty members as Dr., Professor, Mr., or Ms. This protocol supports two tenets of etiquette—rank recognition and mutual respect. Rank recognition demonstrates deference and acknowledges academic and professional achievement, which reinforces the important role of faculty members as mentors. A professor shows respect by addressing students in a formal manner.

If a student’s name is difficult to pronounce, ask for help so you can pronounce it as accurately as possible. Doing so sometimes feels awkward; however, it demonstrates to the student and the class that a student’s name is important to you.

Simple rules of manners should apply at all times, including using the following phrases in appropriate situations as frequently as possible: Thank you; Thank you very much; May I?; Please; Please excuse (or pardon) me; and You are (very or most) welcome.

The Classroom

How faculty members present themselves in class influences how students respond to them. Using etiquette in the classroom shows respect for students and demonstrates their importance. My list of dos and don’ts includes prepare for class; arrive on time and start class on time; let students know if you will be absent from class; open doors for students; don’t write extensively on the blackboard with your back to students; don’t tell jokes that are in poor taste; don’t use vulgar language or slang in class—speak formally as you would at a job interview; don’t discuss personal problems not related to class; don’t embarrass or argue with students during class time; and don’t exhibit poor body language in class, such as slouching, sitting on top of desks, or putting your feet up on desks or chairs while sitting or standing. You would not do this when presenting a paper at a professional conference; do not do it during your lectures.

Faculty Offices

Students come to a faculty member’s office for many reasons, including academic advising, career counseling, and discussion of class performance. No matter what the reason, treat them as you would treat guests visiting your home. Honor appointment times with students: if you will not be in your office at a scheduled time, such as your office hours, make every effort to let students know. Greet students, invite them to sit down, and ask them how you can help them.

Give the student your full attention. Let the student describe the reason for the visit. Avoid talking about personal problems or criticizing administrators, staff, or other faculty members. If you need to send a student to another location for help, ascertain that you direct the student to the right place. Be sure you are not inadvertently giving a student the “runaround.” If the help the student needs is not far away, walk the student to the location, introduce him or her, and then leave. When a student leaves your office, stand, walk the student to the door, shake hands, and exchange final pleasantries.

Shared Offices

Many faculty members share offices, which can make it difficult to maintain students’ privacy. In addition to the advice given above about faculty offices, the following additional considerations apply when faculty share space:

  • If an office mate is talking to a student, attempt to be “invisible.” Do not look at the pair or make comments. If the need for student privacy becomes evident, it might be best to leave the office.
  • If you take a telephone call while an office mate is talking to a student, talk as softly as possible so that you are not a distraction.
  • If both you and your office mate are counseling students at the same time, try to talk as softly as possible to avoid interfering with your colleague’s counseling.
  • If your student requires privacy to discuss a matter, try to meet at a time when you are likely to be alone in the office.
  • Do not involve your office mate in your discussion with the student. This “tag-team” approach can intimidate students.

Telephones

The following recommendations  pertain to both office telephones and personal cell phones when they are used for university business. Don’t answer the telephone if you are talking to a student in your office; let your answering machine or service take the call. Doing so sends the message that the student’s concerns are important to you. Return all university business telephone calls within twenty-four hours. Answer all business calls professionally. After a brief salutation, identify yourself: “Hello, Dr. Lemos speaking.”

E-Mail

E-mail is an important communication tool in our everyday personal and professional lives. The most basic rule for e-mail is to never put anything in a message that you would be embarrassed to post on your office door. With respect to students, the following rules should apply. Return all e-mail messages within twenty-four hours. If you have promised to do something by email, let students know when you have completed the task. Avoid hostility. Avoid informality and watch your grammar and language. Write e-mail messages as if you were writing a formal letter to the student.

Student Assistance

If we see that students need assistance, it is our responsibility, as representatives of our institutions, to attempt to help them. We should keep our eyes open for occasions when students need help, such as when we see them wandering the hall or the campus with a confused look, or when we find them seeking assistance at the department office when staff are not present or are otherwise occupied.

Equality and Diversity

Treat all students as equally as possible in the course of administrative matters such as grade changes, extra credit, incompletes, drops, and final grades. Confer no special privileges. This does not mean that you should avoid making reasonable accommodations to meet the needs of students with disabilities. More than 50 million Americans have some kind of serious disability. These individuals represent literally every demographic group. Examples of special accommodations include extra time for exams, a separate exam location, recorders in class, personal attendants in class, or priority seating arrangements.

Show respect for all cultures. The United States is becoming increasingly diverse, and colleges and universities are struggling to educate students to become global citizens. International students come to the United States partly to learn about American culture. It is our responsibility to teach by example the characteristics of politeness, civility, and respect. If your student body includes many students from a particular culture or area of the world, learn something about that culture. In general, however, the rules for civility, respect, and etiquette are more similar than different across cultures. Be consistently honest. Do not socialize with students. Never eat while conducting a class or during office hours.

Civility and Respect

Etiquette works everywhere, at all times, and with everyone—even students. All faculty should show students the highest levels of civility and respect. Proper etiquette toward students will contribute significantly to a more positive campus climate and a better teaching and learning environment. It will significantly improve relations with students.

My list of rules may seem burdensome or potentially awkward to follow. But I base every single item I list on faculty behaviors that I have personally witnessed in my own academic career. When I was a student, being treated with civility and respect by faculty members whom I respected made a profound impression on me. We should make real efforts to ensure that all students enjoy the same experience.

Ronald Lemos is professor of information systems in the College of Business and Economics at California State University, Los Angeles, where he served as dean until 1996. He was previously assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs for the California State University system. Lemos has published articles and presented papers on computing, management, teacher education, diversity in education, jazz improvisation, and other topics.