Read everything
In this Issue:
- Emails ’28s received yesterday and today
- Residence Life and Housing Move-in messages
- The importance of students reading the things they receive from WFU (emails, the syllabus for each class, etc.)
We are T-minus 23 hours to ’28s’ move in (as I write this), and I will be in all kinds of Orientation events on Weds. and Thurs., so I am reprising a couple of my ‘run it every year’ messages during those days, plus throwing in a couple of emails of note.
Emails ’28s received yesterday and today
The Office of Orientation, New Student and Transition Programs (OTP) sent a couple of final messages out to our students:
- Reminder: What’s Required During New Deac Week (August 20)
- Lower Division Advisor and In-Person Advising (August 19)
- Participation in New Deac Week (August 19)
Residence Life and Housing Move-In Messages
The Office of Residence Life and Housing sent several messages to students this week with various reminders about move-in:
- Important Move-In Tips
- Message to new students moving in August 21
- Message to continuing students (i.e., ’25s-’27s)
As a reminder, continuing students (i.e., ’25s-’27s) can move in at the following times. All check ins begin at the LJVM Coliseum.
- Thursday, August 22 – Check-in will be available from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- Friday, August 23 – Check-in will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Saturday, August 24 – Check-in will be available from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The importance of students reading the things they receive from WFU (emails, the syllabus for each class, etc.)
Today’s main topic is students need to read all the things sent to them (their course syllabus from faculty, global emails administrators send all students, etc.) because they will be held responsible for knowing the contents (whether they read them or not).
In reading emails or e-newsletters they get from Wake, students need to look for action items, policies, and expectations. Are there requirements? Due dates? Deadlines? Fees if you do (or do not) do something? Policies they will be expected to uphold? etc.
We want students to be in the habit of reading the fine print. Even (or maybe especially) when the email or document is long.
If something does not make sense or is unclear, they should ask the sender for clarification right then and there.
Reading the course syllabus
A syllabus is a document written by the faculty member that contains all the requirements for their course, including assignments and when they are due, course policies (such as attendance), learning objectives, grading policy, required textbooks or other materials.
The syllabus is typically given out on the first day of the course, and the faculty member reviews the pertinent information with the class.
Students are held responsible for knowing what is in the syllabus and adhering to its requirements.
What if they don’t read closely (or at all)?
If a time comes when your Deac doesn’t read their emails/other communications and faces some sort of consequence, we encourage families to let their student experience this as a learning moment. It would be better for them to learn a mildly painful lesson now at college (when the stakes are pretty low), than to make a serious misstep with their first boss/job out of college (when they could face a tough consequence or have career-limiting consequences).
I work in the University Marketing and Communications team and we are mindful of the fact that many students don’t like emails (and certainly don’t like long ones!) and we try to be responsive when we can. There are some times where there is a complicated situation, or a lot of nuance, and we need more words than they might like. Read those anyway 🙂