I prefer e-mail because a written communication is less likely to be misunderstood, you have a record of it, and you can refer to it as needed and you are not relying on just memory and most important, you can send it and receive it at your convenience.
We use phone or in-person communication and email. Sometimes we use Facebook if we cannot get a hold of an active student. All communication is generally noted.
I use the telephone as well as email the most. I found the training in this course was informational to know what I need to be doing to keep in compliance as well as to know if someone is not in compliance. It is always good to be able to police each other to keep in compliance.
Face-to-face communication is what I use most often because the non-verbal language is able to be read. This form of communication also minimizes any misinterpreted, underlying tones. I usually will follow-up this form of communication with an email recapping at a high level what was discussed, what the outcome of the conversation was, and any next steps if required.
I place a phone call first, followed by an email.
We use phone, email, face to face, text, mail. Texting works very well with many as this seems to be the new norm for communication, especially with the younger students.
We use face to face communication followed by meeting minutes. I believe it is the most effective because you have less of an opportunity to misinterpret the communication. As we grow we may have less of an opportunity for face to face communication and depend more on email.
Melissa,
Both types of communication have benefits and draw backs.
Face-to-face is still the preferred communication channel if clarity of message is a primary factor. Communication in person allows you to interact with the listener in a back-and-forth discussion. It also allows you to utilize nonverbal gestures, facial expressions and personal charisma to enhance the message. A drawback is the potential that a conflict could become more heated or emotional in a face-to-face channel. Tension or stress is also more likely if you have personal conflict with the other person.
The phone is less personal than a face-to-face meeting and telecommunications allows immediate interaction between two parties. The lack of nonverbal or facial expressions remove those elements from the message. This can inhibit the ability to interpret the context or emotion of a message sender.
Cindy Bryant
We use phone and in person because that is the best type of communication since students are more responsive that way
Years ago my most common communication tool was the phone. However, I have noticed that more and more it's an unreliable method because our students frequently change phone numbers. We make efforts to collect phone numbers from our students to double-check our database, but we can't keep up.
I have replaced phone contact with emails as many of our students have smart phones that display incoming messages. We also have an emergency system that will even text students.
Wayne,
Thank you for sharing, you have a great point regarding a person's nonverbal cues. Sometimes we need to be face to face with people to achieve the best understanding.
Cindy Bryant
I utilize phone communications and in person communications, preferably in person. I am not tempted to step outside of compliance but being face to face with someone allows me a better understanding of their perceptions of what I am telling them. Non verbal cues are an important part of making sure that the students that I work with are receiving the information in a clear and concise manner.
Mala,
Thank you for joining the forum! As a bursar you deal with peoples money and debts-whether or not they can or cannot pay. If you have the ability to speak with them personally you may be able to have an impact on their actions. Being able to read their body language sometimes allows you insight into how to deal with each individual.
Cindy Bryant
I am also mostly a person-to-person communicator. As the Bursar, I need to see that my words are having an effect. I look to body language and tone to help me understand attitude and intention, which can both be lost in a written communication. Sometimes a student needs help of some sort, but doesn't want to ask for it. This often becomes clear in the course of a conversation. If some suggestions are not met well, I can offer others. We take in so much information with our eyes and ears!
Carol,
Emails are very useful in tracking important information. Have you found texting your students to be useful as well?
Cindy Bryant
Documentation is key. In the words of our Accreditation Agency, "If it is not documented, it never happened."
E-mail is a good tool to document things, but it often informal and without structure. I will utilize email to send out Memorandums and Meeting Minutes, but I will always follow up with a hard copy. I want to make sure that the important information are seen by the staff/faculty and immediately implemented. In addition, documentation is followed up by maintaining an organized file system both electronically and hard-copy. Don't forget to back up files! Sometimes, between dead hard drives and lost laptops, the hard copy may be the only documentation left.
E-mail is my primary method of communication for internal and external communications. It provides a permanent record of the conversation for both the sender and recipient and tracks it for future reference. E-mail communication also reduces the chance of misunderstanding between the parties.
We communicate through phone calls, it's more personal and it's easier to explain the information we have to go over and are able to answer questions more effectively.
Kelly,
Requiring students to appear in person for withdrawals and LOA's is a valuable process. Many times student's change their mind when they are face to face with a school associate.
Cindy Bryant
We use phone and in person communication for the majority of our interactions with students. The phone is usually our first line of communication with perspective students followed up by in person interviews. Once a student has enrolled we continue with in person discussions and incorporate some email correspondence. Most communications that happen in person require student statements or requests that are made in writing so we can document certain student requests such as LOAs, withdrawal requests etc.
