Office Hours

The purpose of office hours is to provide students with direct access to academic support, guidance, and mentorship. Office hours are a critical opportunity for students to clarify course material, seek feedback, and build connections with their instructors. To fulfill this purpose, instructors are expected to not only maintain predictable weekly office hours, but also actively encourage student use of these times. Instructors are expected to communicate the value of office hours early and often, normalize attendance as part of the learning process, and create a welcoming environment that fosters positive instructor-student relationships. 

All instructors will establish and publish a minimum of two (2) regularly scheduled, weekly office hours. Instructors will communicate with their students about the purpose, times, and locations of their office hours in their syllabus and throughout the term, reinforcing their availability at key points in the course. For the purposes of this policy, instructors are the individual listed in the Schedule of Courses as an instructor of record for any course or other individuals assigned by a college or department to have a student-facing role associated with a course. Individuals may be UWM faculty, Academic Staff, or Teaching Assistants. 

Office Hours Requirements

1. All instructors must hold a minimum of two (2) hours of office hours per week in a modality that matches their course delivery.  
2. Instructors teaching only one course in a term may reduce this requirement to one (1) hour per week. 
3. Office hours must be published in the course syllabus, including days, times, and locations.  
4. Campus units may choose to implement additional requirements that best suit their students.

Office Hours Modalities and Locations

1. The modality of office hours should match the course modality. Instructors teaching hybrid courses may choose face-to-face or online office hours.  
2. While traditional office spaces are common, instructors may also consider alternate locations with the goal of increasing student utilization of office hours. Suggested locations include:  
   1. Labs or spaces with course resources 
   2. Libraries, the Student Union, or other student gather spaces 
   3. Locations near where the course is taught, especially if office hours are scheduled before or after a class meeting time.

Cancellation and Notification Procedures

1. If an instructor is unavailable during scheduled office hours, students must be notified with a timely Canvas announcement. 
2. When possible, provide advance notice of cancellations. 
3. Instructors are encouraged to schedule Canvas announcements in advance when planned absences are scheduled.  

• Appendix A - Best Practices for Office Hours