<p>I am a college professor and have been receiving numerous e-mails from students over the years. Most students start their e-mails with either Professor SYM or Dr. SYM, but there have been a few times (including just now) where the student starts with “Hey,” and then continue with the message.</p>
<p>Somehow, I am not very comfortable with such a message. Am I unnecessarily sensitive? I would have certainly advised against it if my daughters had tried to write that way to their professors. It may be because I grew up in Asia where professors are highly respected. If you think it is perfectly acceptable, I will not be bothered by it from now on. </p>
<p>This can vary by campus and having expectations of formality isn’t just an Asian thing. Many old-school American families and other immigrant groups feel the same way. </p>
<p>Ironically, I attended a college where many Professors do prefer being on a firstname or at least, won’t mind informal emails…and even they are likely to feel an email starting with “Hey” to be a bit much. Especially considering it may come across as the student being excessively informal and even rude. </p>
<p>Also, even at my LAC, I know of some students who ended up alienating our Professors for this and worse antics. </p>
<p>Personally, I treat writing emails to Professors as no different than a formal professional letter. Unless the Professor states otherwise, I always start it with Dear Prof. [surname] or Dr. [surname].</p>
<p>Mine most often start " Hi, Professor…" (not Prof. Garland, just Professor, often). Which is okay. my letters to them usully start: “Hi, studentname”. Some are more formal. </p>
<p>I usually start my emails with “Dear Professor XXX” or something like that, and once in a while get a reply,“Hey, BB, it is fine. Kevin.” or something like that. But we are all adults about the same age. My kids would never even dreamed of writing “hey” to a professor! To paraphrase the saying, “hey” (sp) is for horses, not for professors. </p>
<p>Well I wouldn’t write one that started with hey but I have written a couple in the last few years that started with their name first and last name. But I’m also been older than them and when I’ve gotten emails from they use my first name only. I would hope my DS wouldn’t start one out with Hey… </p>
<p>Oh, dear. I think this might come from their constant texting or social media posting. Many don’t know how to format and write a business letter. SIgh. Faculty should still be addressed in emails in a professional way. That could include Hi, Dear Professor, Prof. Soandso, or Sandy. But, “Hey” — ah, no. </p>
<p>Even if this is the case, shouldn’t they have learned this in HS and/or from their parents when writing letters/thank you notes to older relatives? </p>
<p>I am thoroughly confused. If “Hi” is OK, I have a tough time understanding why “Hey” isn’t. I don’t know if it is really a further step down in terms of formality, or just a regional difference in informal greetings. I don’t think either is particularly attractive as a way to start an e-mail.</p>
<p>When I start an e-mail, I usually don’t use any salutation. The exception is when I am addressing a particular person, but others will be copied, and they might not understand immediately that I am not addressing them. Then I put the name of the person or people I am primarily addressing at the top of the text, usually just their names, no salutation (first names or last names with Mr., Ms., etc., depending on how well I know them and our relationship).</p>
<p>In any event, I think all of us oldsters pretty much have to suck it up and tolerate the digital communication styles of our juniors. At the very least, we should not read into their messages the same lack of respect that would be implied if WE composed the same message. If we care, we should (a) be careful to model the behavior we want them to imitate (and most of them probably will), and (b) make clear to them that we care and what our preferences are: “I would prefer that you address me as Herr Professor Doktor Einstein in your e-mails. Please do not begin your e-mail to me, ‘What’s up, Doc?’”</p>
<p>JHS: Are you talking only about business communications? Are you leaving off salutations on personal communications? What about actual letters you put in a real life mail box? What about addressing an envelope?</p>
<p>I agree that communication styles are changing. Forms of address I might have used 30 years ago could be seen as insulting today and rightly so.</p>
<p>I think I usually started emails with, “Hi Professor.” In the work world, though, it is usually “Hi FirstName” or most likely just “Hi,” or even “hey” even if they are superiors. That’s just what we do here. It took me a long time to get used to that because I am usually much more formal. I do think that while “hi” and “hey” are both casual, I think “hey” implies a higher degree of familiarity. </p>
<p>Re: Professor vs Dr. If the professor in question holds a doctorate degree, then either is appropriate, but not all professors are MDs or PhDs etc. </p>
<p>The “Professor” vs “Doctor” thing also varies by institution. At one university, only those who had made “full professor” were called “Professor”. Everyone else with a PhD was called “Doctor”. At another university, I was called “Professor” because I didn’t have a PhD and couldn’t be called “Doctor”. </p>
<p>As for emails, my students do pretty much everything. I don’t mind that so much as I do when students in class call me over by “Miss”. It seems like some students come from backgrounds where they have not really encountered the kind of formality expected in the college classroom. I try to fend that off by saying clearly on day 1 that I prefer “Dr. Sylvan” now that I actually am Dr. Sylvan.</p>
<p>In my mind, addressing the recipient as ‘Dr. SYM’ is the best way to go. That way, the writer starts out by giving the recipient the respect that the position is entitled to.</p>
But we are all adults about the same age. My kids would never even dreamed of writing “hey” to a professor! To paraphrase the saying, “hey” (sp) is for horses, not for professors. </p>