Honors Etiquette




E-MAIL ETIQUETTE 

1.  Treat the staff and faculty with respect.  Use their proper titles (Dr., Prof., Mr., Ms.).  In turn, you will be treated with respect.

2.  Never leave a blank subject line.  The e-mail can be mistaken for SPAM.  Use a description in the subject line that is meaningful to the recipient as well as yourself.

3.  Use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation.  Improper writing can not only give a bad impression, it may also cause confusion for the recipient.

4.  Don't leave out the original message.  When you reply to an e-mail, include the original message.  The staff or professor will save time from having to look for a previous related e-mail in their inbox.

5.  Read the e-mail before you send it.  Review the e-mail for grammatical errors and for comprehension.  Will the recipient understand what you mean?

6. Sign all your e-mails with your first and last name.  Staff and professors usually do not have the time to look up the e-mail addresses of the many students with whom they communicate to figure out who you are.

7.  Don't expect an immediate response to your e-mail.  Although e-mail is available 24/7, the dedicated staff and professors are not.  It is acceptable to give them at least 24 hours to respond.  This is also expected for e-mail sent to you.  If we are requesting a response from you, be prompt in responding as well.

8.  Do not e-mail the staff and professors every time the slightest question occurs to you.  Try to find the answer to your question on related websites, BlackBoard sites, or any other documents provided to you.  It is highly probable you can answer your own question with minimal effort.

9.  Check your JMU e-mail account often.  Even if you have your e-mails from your JMU account forwarded to another e-mail address, the e-mails will continue to pile up in your JMU account.  When your JMU inbox is full, it will cause e-mails sent to that address to bounce back.  Continue to manage your JMU account by deleting your inbox often.

HONORS ETIQUETTE

1.  Should you leave the univeristy, notify the Honors Office of your intentions.  We are not notified by any other department if you leave JMU, therefore it is important to let us know so we may close your file.  On the same note, if you wish to withdraw from the Honors Program, please let us know as soon as possible.

2.  Please read the information provided to you by the department directors and staff.  Our primary form of communication to all honors students is via our website, BlackBoard, and informational e-mails.  Most any question you have can be answered simply be taking a moment to review what has already been provided.

 3.  If you commit to attending an Honors Program event, please make every effort to attend.  In most cases, the Honors Program has incurred expenses based on your response.  A no show is not acceptable behavior for an Honors student.  Please check your schedules carefully prior to committing to the event.  If your plans change unexpectedly, notify us immediately so we can fill the vacancy with another participant.