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Post by jeremysgirl on Sept 27, 2015 23:29:26 GMT
OK, so I worked all morning on my homework. It's a huge accounting problem. Basically, it's a puzzle where we have to do an accounting books simulation for a small, local government. It's due on Tuesday. Well, I got to a certain point and I'm stuck. I emailed my professor at noon. Now's it's 7:30 and I still have not heard back from her. I can understand not hearing from her between 8-5 on the weekdays because she has a day job. But 7.5 hours on a Sunday? Am I asking too much for a response so I can move forward?
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:53:14 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2015 23:31:01 GMT
I don't expect professors or teachers to answer work emails on a weekend. I think everyone needs time off work.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:53:14 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2015 23:36:30 GMT
It is a weekend and unless she has hours posted on weekends, I would not think of bothering her.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:53:14 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2015 23:37:24 GMT
Ask you question here or google it.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:53:14 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2015 23:38:36 GMT
All of my instructors only answer emails during their posted office hours. Vast majority of them do not have office hours on week ends.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:53:14 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2015 23:40:06 GMT
Is your class online? Even my online profs had "office hours" as to when they were available to give help. Outside of those hours we were to ask classmates or google.
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Post by freecharlie on Sept 27, 2015 23:48:15 GMT
Yes you are asking too much. I'm sorry, but many professors don't work on the weekends. I don't think they need to answer texts or emails until their contract time
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Post by Zee on Sept 27, 2015 23:50:52 GMT
I would not expect a response on a Sunday. Use your Google skills.
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Post by jeremysgirl on Sept 27, 2015 23:51:40 GMT
Maybe I'm the exception, because my professors both work M-F day time so they both said they would be available via emails nights and weekends. This has been the norm with all my professors. None have office hours either. If you need something it's by appointment. This is my first contact with my professor outside of class and I was surprised to not hear back from her. Maybe the professors do something different at my university. Or maybe this professor truly didn't mean to answer emails on weekends. I don't know.
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Post by christine58 on Sept 27, 2015 23:59:30 GMT
Maybe I'm the exception, because my professors both work M-F day time so they both said they would be available via emails nights and weekends. This has been the norm with all my professors. None have office hours either. If you need something it's by appointment. This is my first contact with my professor outside of class and I was surprised to not hear back from her. Maybe the professors do something different at my university. Or maybe this professor truly didn't mean to answer emails on weekends. I don't know. Maybe she's busy...maybe you'll hear from her tomorrow. I don't even open my school emails on the weekends.
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Post by freecharlie on Sept 28, 2015 0:17:14 GMT
Maybe I'm the exception, because my professors both work M-F day time so they both said they would be available via emails nights and weekends. This has been the norm with all my professors. None have office hours either. If you need something it's by appointment. This is my first contact with my professor outside of class and I was surprised to not hear back from her. Maybe the professors do something different at my university. Or maybe this professor truly didn't mean to answer emails on weekends. I don't know. maybe she is at a football game or baseball or a football party or traveling. I think if she gets back to you in 24 hours, that would be right.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:53:14 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2015 0:34:15 GMT
Yeah, I think 24 hours is the rule in many places. I typically will respond to work email on the weekend, but if I was at something important like a wedding, baptism, or even just out with my family for the day (pumpkin patch, day tripping, etc.) I would not answer the email.
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Post by jeremysgirl on Sept 28, 2015 0:36:15 GMT
Always good to have some pea perspective. I will readjust my expectations. Apparently, I am quite impatient. 
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Post by freecharlie on Sept 28, 2015 0:43:04 GMT
Always good to have some pea perspective. I will readjust my expectations. Apparently, I am quite impatient.  I would be too. It sucks waiting when you want to get something done.
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Post by Zee on Sept 28, 2015 0:44:05 GMT
Well I didn't realize she said she'd be available on weekends. I'd still Google it though. I'm impatient and I must Google everything, lol
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Post by jeremysgirl on Sept 28, 2015 0:46:45 GMT
Well I didn't realize she said she'd be available on weekends. I'd still Google it though. I'm impatient and I must Google everything, lol I have googled it like 50 different ways, and I just can't get at what I'm needing. It's driving me nuts. If anyone does government accounting, I would appreciate your help.
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SabrinaP
Pearl Clutcher
Busy Teacher Pea
Posts: 4,467
Location: Dallas Texas
Jun 26, 2014 12:16:22 GMT
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Post by SabrinaP on Sept 28, 2015 1:10:48 GMT
I would give 24 hours before I expected contact. Hope you get it worked out.
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Post by kernriver on Sept 28, 2015 1:19:55 GMT
I'm in college and my professors email on the weekend. I got an email at 9 am this morning from the anthropology prof. in response to an email sent last night.
with email being accessible on your phone, and everyone carries a phone, I would expect an answer. Especially with a big assignment coming up.
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Post by Merge on Sept 28, 2015 1:21:56 GMT
Even professors who don't mind being available on the weekends can go out of town or have a family emergency or get sick.
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Post by Pahina722 on Sept 28, 2015 1:30:02 GMT
Professors generally try to answer emails within 24 working hours, and the weekend isn't "working hours" unless your college is open on Sunday. Since you say your instructor has an 8 to 5 job and no posted office hours, it appears she is an adjunct, so she has even less incentive to check emails on the weekend. (Adjuncts, or contingent faculty, are paid only for their hours in the classroom.)
I know you're frustrated, but it is unreasonable to expect an instructor to respond to you on the weekends unless she has POSTED office hours during that time.
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Post by RiverIsis on Sept 28, 2015 1:58:02 GMT
Is there anywhere you can ask online in on your University's website? I know our local community college has an online place. Just a random Hey has anyone had this class/problem and can you point me in the right direction on how to solve it?
Have you tried typing in the exact problem? The textbook? etc.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:53:15 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2015 1:58:14 GMT
Just because access via cellphones allows emails at all times (along with responses), would not expect her to be available at all times. That's unreasonable. How many of us want our employers/clients expecting a response at all times? Most people would be screaming if their employer/clients routinely got in touch with them outside of work hours. Why should teachers/profs be any different? kernriver -- You can expect all you want, but part might depend on how long the student has had the assignment and time to ask questions during "normal" work hours? I can understand if it was assigned on Friday and due on Monday, but if the student has had time and waited until this weekend to complete it, I'd say it falls under "your failure to plan/work on it over time doesn't make it my emergency two days before it is due" to get back to a student on a weekend.
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Post by Woobster on Sept 28, 2015 2:09:49 GMT
I don't think you're expecting too much. I am in school as well, and my professors (online classes) are typically pretty active in the evenings and on weekends since that's when the majority of the students are working on homework. 7.5 hours may be a little quick though. Although my professors typically get back to me within 12 hours, most typically ask at the beginning to give them 24 hours to respond. I can totally understand your frustration (God, I hated accounting!)... I'd give them a little more time to respond.
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Post by shannoots on Sept 28, 2015 2:14:21 GMT
I did my Masters online. I would get frustrated if I had a big assignment due on a Monday and the professor didn't respond on the weekend. I get that they need time off too but don't have something due on a Monday if you can't answer questions over the weekend. At least check in once or twice.
I am now a teacher and I answer students on the weekend if they send a message.
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Post by 950nancy on Sept 28, 2015 3:40:10 GMT
My husband is an adjunct for a college and checks his emails daily. Today he was in a car accident and his vehicle was totaled. He okay, but I highly doubt checking his students' emails today happened.
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Post by ~summer~ on Sept 28, 2015 3:43:28 GMT
I wouldn't expect her to respond on the weekend. This is when you need office hours, does she offer them?
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MerryMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,615
Jul 24, 2014 19:51:57 GMT
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Post by MerryMom on Sept 28, 2015 12:27:55 GMT
Maybe I'm the exception, because my professors both work M-F day time so they both said they would be available via emails nights and weekends. This has been the norm with all my professors. None have office hours either. If you need something it's by appointment. This is my first contact with my professor outside of class and I was surprised to not hear back from her. Maybe the professors do something different at my university. Or maybe this professor truly didn't mean to answer emails on weekends. I don't know. They may normally look at emails over the weekend, but assuming that the professor has a life, the professor might be busy with a family event or traveling or mowing the lawn or doing yard work, or on a boat or whatever it is that people on a Sunday. So I do think you have high expectations for a Sunday.
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freebird
Drama Llama

'cause I'm free as a bird now
Posts: 6,927
Jun 25, 2014 20:06:48 GMT
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Post by freebird on Sept 28, 2015 15:32:50 GMT
I'm not a professor, but in my profession (photography), for some reason people feel like they need 24/7 access to me. I've pretty much shut down Sundays and Saturdays if I don't have a wedding. If you msg me on Sunday afternoon, even if I see it, I will not answer until Monday when I open for business at 9 a.m. I feel like you won't get a response from your lawyer or banker, so why me? I have a family that I want to spend time with, so that's a priority at least ONE day a week.
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Post by 950nancy on Sept 28, 2015 16:58:31 GMT
I had a parent that emailed me on Friday nights after dinner. He would have a list of questions about the week. His son was in fifth grade. The first time I answered them. It took quite a while to type out. After that, I emailed him on Mondays and he ended up going past my principal (she didn't give him the answer he wanted) to the superintendent. He wanted answers ON Fridays so he could work with his child during the weekend on those skills. His kids were not allowed to watch television and he wanted them to have a full day's amount of work on Saturdays and Sundays. He was from another country. He honestly didn't get that I deserved the weekend off. I never should have answered the first email on a Friday.
Personally, I get a professor telling you they are available, but I just don't think most people can do it.
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Post by Delta Dawn on Sept 28, 2015 17:50:54 GMT
Not only could I call my professors at home, on weekends, but they were there at my baby shower and weddings. (Same guy 2 countries). I would say we got along pretty well to want to come to a wedding.
I was in Asian studies though and this was at 2 different universities where the students could call the profs at home. (I was working on a special major and it was a first for them and they wanted to support this crazy idea of theirs so they gave me all the support I could ever need...)
So yes, I would expect an answer after 7.5 hours.
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