All professors offer office hours at least once a week, during a specific time or by appointment. Some students think that it is the time when professors check their e-mails and read the newspaper. However, professors say they’re only there to help. But do students take advantage of or benefit from these office hours?
Students who do visit their professors during office hours tend to benefit from their visit.
“My calculus professor was extremely helpful, he helped me work through all the problems that I wasn’t able to do before,” Jeremy Aiken, a junior economics and financial applications major, said.
The time set aside in a professor’s week is not only for help but also to make a connection with the student.
“The purpose is to make sure that there is some notion of availability by the professor for the students,” professor of corporate communications and public affairs Rita Kirk said. “We want to make sure that [students] know that professors are accessible.”
According to Dedman Family Distinguished Professor Nathan Balke, “There is a very strong relationship between how students do in their class and whether they come talk to the professor.”
Formal office hours provide this opportunity, but students are also free to stop by during other times.
However, there are those students who breeze through classes without any problems and might never need to come in for office hours.
“A student who is confident that they are getting the materials that they need in class and perform well in class will do just fine without ever gracing the doors for office hours,” Kirk said.
Office hours aren’t just about asking professors for help in class, but to provide the opportunity for the student to build a relationship with his or her professor.
“A lot of times it’s just about counseling,” Kirk said. “It’s about thinking about [their] careers and opportunities.”
“You benefit from getting to know your professor,” Thomas Fomby, professor and chairman of economics said.
According to Fomby, whether it involves learning about the professor’s career path or simply knowing where they grew up, getting to know your teacher will make going to class more enjoyable. Students may even find they have something in common with their professors.
“The Notre Dame – USC rivalry was a common topic for my history professor and I to discuss during office hours,” Todd Wilmoski, an economic major and die-hard Notre Dame fan, said.
Wilmoski was required to visit during office hours for his history classes to discuss paper topics and get his professor’s approval.
“[Office hours] helped me understand what my professor expected of me,” Wilmoski said.
“There are a lot of students who think that if they just get to know you better that it will increase their grade and perhaps that is not really a good reason to come by for office hours,” Kirk said.
Professors agree that students need to remember the wealth of knowledge they have in their reach at a university, especially through their professors, which is why students need to utilize office hours more often.
“Generally, [office hours] are underutilized by students,” Balke said. He sees tremendous improvement in students’ performances when they come and talk to him about what’s going on in class.
