Whereas, office hours are a primary way for students to get individualized academic support from TAs and CAs,
Whereas, students often plan their schedules, travel, and study time around posted office hours, and last-minute cancellations or unannounced changes can cost them time and delay their learning,
Whereas, Cornell does not have a single university-wide policy on TA and CA office hour cancellations, and expectations vary by department, course, and instructor,
Whereas, Some departmental guidelines already ask TAs to inform instructors promptly and arrange coverage when they cannot attend scheduled office hours, but these guidelines do not consistently set expectations for how far in advance students are notified,
Whereas, TAs, LAs and CAs are undergraduate students with their own academic and personal obligations, and unexpected illness, emergencies, or conflicts may occasionally make advance notice impossible,
Whereas, students have reported that undergraduate TAs, LAs and CAs sometimes do not appear at posted office hours, whether held in person or over Zoom or another video platform, and do not give any notice,
Whereas, a no-show is more harmful to students than a timely cancellation, because students may travel to a location or wait in a virtual meeting room with no way of knowing whether help is coming, losing valuable study time,
Whereas, a clear and reasonable standard would improve communication and reliability for students while remaining fair to undergraduate TAs, LAs and CAs,
Be it therefore resolved,the Student Assembly encourages course instructors to ask undergraduate TAs, LAs and CAs, to post the date, time, and location (or video link) of each office hour at least 24 hours before it takes place, through the course website, Ed Discussion, Canvas, or the department’s scheduling system,
Be it therefore resolved, the Student Assembly encourages course instructors to ask TAs and CAs to post the date, time, and location (or video link) of each office hour at least 24 hours before it takes place, through the course website, Ed Discussion, Canvas, or the department’s scheduling system,
Be it further resolved, the Student Assembly encourages undergraduate TAs, LAs and CAs, who need to cancel or reschedule an office hour to notify students at least 12 hours before its scheduled start, using the same channels where the hours were posted,
Be it further resolved, the Student Assembly discourages undergraduate TAs, LAs and CAs from failing to attend a posted office hour, whether in person or virtual, without notice, and encourages them to treat a no-show as a last resort to be avoided whenever any form of notice is possible,
Be it further resolved, the Student Assembly encourages that, when an emergency or unforeseen circumstance prevents a undergraduate TAs, LAs and CAs from attending without advance notice, they (or the course instructor or another staff member on their behalf) post a notice through the same channels as soon as reasonably possible, including after the scheduled start time,
Be it finally resolved, the Student Assembly encourages undergraduate TAs, LAs and CAs to notify the course instructor as soon as they know they cannot attend, and to arrange coverage by another undergraduate TAs, LAs and CAs, or instructor whenever possible,
Be it further resolved, the Student Assembly encourages course instructors to address repeated unannounced no-shows through supportive conversation, clarifying expectations, and adjusting schedules where needed, rather than through punitive measures, recognizing that undergraduate TAs, LAs and CAs have their own obligations,
Be it further resolved, the Student Assembly recommends that departments and course staff include these expectations in undergraduate TA, LA and CA handbooks, onboarding materials, and course syllabi,
Be it finally resolved, the Student Assembly recommends that the University and departments encourage consistent use of a shared course calendar so that students can see current office hours and any changes in one place.
Respectfully Submitted,
Tin Cho Aye
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Representative, Student Assembly
Hayden Watkins
Executive Vice President, Student Assembly
Lydia Blum
Vice President of Policy, Student Assembly
