What are you supposed to call your professor? Should you go with the professor’s first name? Mr. or Mrs.? What about professor or Doctor? This complicated question can have a variety of answers and will forever be questioned.
The relationship between students and their teachers can be quite messy in the academic community. Obviously, there is a professional standard that needs to be met, but learning can be a difficult task to maneuver. Plenty of students and teachers attempt to create environments more conducive to learning in a variety of different ways.
Some people thrive through professionality and order. They prefer a situation where people maintain etiquette standards, and behave in a respectful manner. This helps them focus and put their work or academic careers outside of their personal life. By separating the two, they can focus on both more effectively.
On the other hand, many find it easier to be casual about their relationships. Letting their guard down makes them more comfortable which allows them to focus more easily.
“To me, it’s more about the student’s comfort level,” says Nick Reeder, professor of Electronics Engineering Technology, “Depending on the culture that they come from, they might have trouble calling me Nick, and I certainly wouldn’t want to insist that they be very casual with me if it made them uncomfortable.”
This attitude can be quite common amongst professors, they just want to create the most suitable learning environment for their students.
The best advice to figuring out what you should call your professor is to just ask them. They will always tell you. If they don’t give you a specific answer, they’ll at least point you in a direction and you can choose what is more suitable for you.
In an area of question, err on the side of formal. No one is going to be disrespected if you call them something too proper. If they really want something more casual, they’ll let you know.
A lot of professors go over this topic on syllabus day, particularly if they have a heavy preference. Professors work with students on a daily basis to teach them, that’s why they chose their profession, so don’t worry about it. You can always work with them to find something that works best for both of you.
What’s most important to the majority professors is that you make the effort to actually get to know them. They’ve made a career out of helping students and they appreciate seeing some effort thrown back at them. Stop by for their office hours, especially if you’re struggling with something. You never know how valuable an academic relationship can end up being.
Matt Harlan
Reporter