Office hours are an important way for instructors and students to build relationships. Many meaningful experiences, like undergraduate research assistantships, internships, or graduate school, come from (or rely on, in the form of letters of recommendation) connections with instructors.

Because there are so many benefits to attending office hours, Addy et al. (2021) explain that having all students attend office hours “promotes equitable participation in the course and works to ensure all students have access to the same cultural capital in the classroom” (p. 93)

Some students, however, may not know what office hours are or how to use them effectively. The following strategies can help you to make your office hours more accessible and inviting to your students.

1. Being transparent

There can be many misconceptions around office hours. Some students may associate office hours with remediation or consider seeking help as a sign of weakness. Conversely, they may think that office hours are for “high-achieving” students to speak with the instructor. Some students think that office hours mean that an instructor should not be disturbed because they are working in their office, while other students wonder what they will talk about with their instructor for a whole hour (Lang, 2021, p. 185). You can consider using these strategies to help dispel these misconceptions.

2. Sharing the purpose of office hours

In your syllabi, at the beginning of the semester, and at crucial points (for example, before the first big exam), you can consider (re)explaining the purpose of your office hours to your students, and you can also emphasize that attending office hours is something that successful students do. Consider reflecting on how you are teaching students to use office hours throughout your course.

3. Renaming office hours

Some instructors have started to rename their office hours. Some examples include student hours, drop-in hours, or meet and greet. The UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences syllabus template uses “student drop-in hours.”

4. Providing structure

Creating a safe and welcoming environment can reduce students’ anxiety and help them feel more comfortable interacting with their instructors. Part of students’ anxiety around attending office hours comes from not knowing how to prepare and what to expect. Consider explicitly sharing the following information on your syllabus and course site:

• How can students arrange to meet with you?
• What are topics students can discuss with you during the meeting?
• How are you articulating tangible outcomes during office hours?
• How can students prepare for the meeting?

You can make it easier (and perhaps less intimidating) for your students to schedule a time to meet with you by using a scheduling tool.

5. Offering different modalities

Having several options for students to meet with you can be more welcoming. For example, virtual office hours can reduce the effects of physical barriers for many students (for example, students with disabilities, students who work, or students who are based across campus). Virtual office hours can also make it easier for students to drop in for quick questions. Some additional strategies to make office hours more accessible:

• Alternating times to accommodate different schedules and time zones. It could be helpful to hold office hours right before or after the class for students who are rarely on campus and offer other options.
• Providing various modalities: in-person, via Zoom (camera optional). For virtual office hours using Zoom, enable the waiting room feature to be able to meet with students individually. Check your waiting room settings to make sure that your students will be listed in the order they arrive at (and not in alphabetical order). For some contexts, it might be helpful to offer a recording option, so students could rewatch it.
• Offering alternative communication options: some students might prefer communicating via instant messaging, phone calls, or email rather than face-to-face conversations. Some instructors hold their office hours where students already are (for example, the library or a coffee shop). Be mindful, though, that students may not want to discuss some topics (such as grades) in spaces that are more public.