Whenever I begin a new semester, there is a need to build a trusting rapport with my students. This is why I present an very detailed syllabus to my students, outlining the course expectations. I tell my students that I have a high level of expectation, but everything that I expect is here, in the syllabus. And I explain to them that the syllabus is not a long to-do list; but rather, it is a contract between myself and the class, so that students know that I am promising to provide "A, B, & C" to help them along in their educational experience. If the students see that I hold both the class and myself to a high degree of accountibility and integrity, trust will form. If I am wishy-washy, students will not feel like I have their best interest in mind, and potentially take advantage of the situation.
