Contacting Nels

It's very important that my students are able to stay in touch with me throughout the course and even after it's done. This post exists so that all current and former students know how to find me if needed.  If problems or any questions or concerns arise, I need to know as soon as possible. Luckily, there are lots of ways to contact me.

1) Email me. This is always the best way to reach me.  I love email because it creates a clear record of our conversation that we can refer back to later. We all have lots going on in our lives, so being able to go back and check what we talked about after the fact is very useful.

Note of Caution: If you use your UHartford email, you should be checking your spam folder to make sure you are getting all messages from me.  I use Gmail because it has a larger storage system than UHartford's webmail (as well as other features).  I have noticed that some students have trouble getting messages from a non-UHartford account, especially if they have attachments like graded essays.  They often end up in your spam folder, so you may need to whitelist my email address.  You may ask why I don't just use my UHartford account so this won't happen, but that would not solve the problem of emails from places like Gmail going into your spam folder.  You need to know how to check it because emails about scholarships, internships, or jobs may end up there, too.

2) Come by my office (Auerbach 212B) and see me. For Spring 2011, my office hours are from 12:15 to 3:15 on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 1:00 to 3:00 on Fridays.  If you're in the area during those times, drop by. I do recommend that, when possible, you set up a time to meet by email or when you see me in class because I do have various meetings on and off campus. I am in and out of the office a lot, but we should be able to make a time to meet easily. It's great to meet face-to-face to go over drafts of your formal assignments, my comments on graded versions, or anything we need to talk about in detail.

3) Instant message me if you have Gmail or are on Facebook. I never add students as friends first on Facebook (because I know you may want to keep some things private), but if you add me as a friend, I will confirm it. When I'm logged into Gmail or Facebook, you can message me, which is great for a quick question. Many times, especially when I'm home outside office hours, I'm just jumping on and off quickly, or I'm logged in but away from the computer, so I may not respond or may have to leave quickly. But this can work for a quick question or if you want to make sure I'm in my office if you are hoping to stop by.

Like I said, stay in touch and let me know whatever it is you think I need to know throughout the semester and after as needed. Let's talk whenever you have any concern in mind.

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