Question about how university staff should address professors?

[present_mirth]

We have a lot of staff who call faculty by titles, and I HATE it. It makes me feel deeply uncomfortable, particularly when it comes from African-American staff. I really, really do not want to be addressed as "Dr. Mirth" by anyone other than a student or former student. Ever. (Well, OK, getting "Congratulations, Dr. Mirth" from my committee after my dissertation defense was nice, but other than that...)

There are also faculty in my department who address other faculty by titles when a student is present, even though they would naturally use first names at any other time. I understand why they do it, but to me it feels both incredibly artificial and condescending to the student.

Apparently I have really strong pent-up feelings about this. Huh.

I know what you mean. The titles themselves are fine, but the idea of telling anyone to refer to me by a title makes me very uncomfortable. I write Dr. Caracal on the top of my syllabus, but I never tell anyone to refer to me that way. I can't imagine saying at the beginning of the semester "I'm Dr. Caracal." I sign my initials in emails to students for the same reason. Occasionally, this results in confused students writing replies that start "Dear ABC." I wouldn't have any problem with students calling me by my first name if that was the norm, but given that it is not, the idea of telling students to call me by my first name also makes me cringe. So, yeah, I have issues too, I guess.

Ugh, yeah. I finally started signing e-mails "Dr. Mirth" because I was sick of students calling me Mrs. Mirth, or Miss Present, and I figured it was a kindness to let them know the appropriate mode of address, but I still hate doing it.

[Aster]

When random student workers that you've never see before address you as "HEY TEACH!", I get a special feeling.

[larryc]

When I am referring to a colleague in front of students I always call the person "Dr. [lastname]."

[Cheerful]

Colleagues, staff, and students usually call me "Your Royal Highness."

That seems like too much so I insist that they leave the Royal part out.

[mahagonny]

When I am referring to a colleague in front of students I always call the person "Dr. [lastname]."

Every now and then a student will address me as 'Dr.' I have to stop it right away. I ask them not to and tell them they are always safe with 'Professor.' Imagine the embarrassment if someone thought I was letting them call me "Dr."

[secundem_artem]

Some of my students feel they know and like me well enough that Dr Artem seems too formal and yet Secundem seems too informal.  So they compromise and just call me Artem.  I find it kind of endearing.  Does this happen to anyone else?

[mamselle]

Are they possibly British, or Asians raised in a British system?

That sounds like UK norms, to the extent I was (once) familiar with them...

M.

[secundem_artem]

Are they possibly British, or Asians raised in a British system?

That sounds like UK norms, to the extent I was (once) familiar with them...

M.

Nope.  All US born & raised.

[mahagonny]

Some of my students feel they know and like me well enough that Dr Artem seems too formal and yet Secundem seems too informal.  So they compromise and just call me Artem.  I find it kind of endearing.  Does this happen to anyone else?

They will know I am not Dr. by mid semester. But a few have called me by last name only. This started a couple years ago. At first I was non-plussed and not pleased but I didn't say anything. After I got to know the individuals I realized it was not disrespectful. I'm old enough now that I can say the only way I can glean the up-to-date norms and thought processes is either reading urban dictionary or hanging out with kids. Fortunately most of them are quite nice. A bit grade-grubbing, but nice.

[Caracal]

Ugh, yeah. I finally started signing e-mails "Dr. Mirth" because I was sick of students calling me Mrs. Mirth, or Miss Present, and I figured it was a kindness to let them know the appropriate mode of address, but I still hate doing it.

Yeah, this is one of those things where its so much easier sometimes to be a dude. I don't love Mr. Caracal,  (for this to really work, I need two names, should I start going by Caracal Cat on here?) but at least it isn't tied to my marital status and I don't have to worry that it is embedded in sexist assumptions about my qualifications.

A kid at my son's daycare addresses me as "Mr. Kitten's daddy," which is pretty great.

[craftyprof]

Because I taught business, I was cool with students calling me whatever they were comfortable with. Business is on a first-name basis, but some of the younger students preferred Mrs or Professor or Doctor.

Mrs. is the only one I make a point to correct.

Given that I took my husband's last name, Mrs. is fine by me. A bit retro, one supposes?

"Doctor" feels a bit overblown since I'm not an MD or even a PhD.

Mrs. is great if it is what you choose to call yourself.  It's problematic when it is what students assume all women should be called.  I need them to default to Ms. until they know someone's preference when they hit the job market.

[lightning]

In my experience, the more truly accomplished the faculty/staff/admin, the less likely they will insist on the usage of their title, in professional internal interactions (written or verbal). Conversely, the less accomplished insist on using their title. I use it as a quick tip-off, with whom I have to interact. When I err on the side of formality (which I always do), when meeting a new colleague, I formally address them by their title, if I know that they have a doctorate. When they tell me to call them by their first name, I consider that a good sign.

BTW, when referring to someone else, in third person, whether they are in the room or not, it is a good idea to use the title, especially in front of undergrads and outside audiences.

[Wahoo Redux]

At our former employer, several staff people received "doctorates" from on-line proprietary schools.  They all had "Dr." added to the plaques outside their office doors.  I know at least one had the titled added to hu's business cards.

[secundem_artem]

In my experience, the more truly accomplished the faculty/staff/admin, the less likely they will insist on the usage of their title, in professional internal interactions (written or verbal). Conversely, the less accomplished insist on using their title. I use it as a quick tip-off, with whom I have to interact. When I err on the side of formality (which I always do), when meeting a new colleague, I formally address them by their title, if I know that they have a doctorate. When they tell me to call them by their first name, I consider that a good sign.

BTW, when referring to someone else, in third person, whether they are in the room or not, it is a good idea to use the title, especially in front of undergrads and outside audiences.

Probably true for PhD and other higher degrees, not so much for MDs.  I had a professor back in the day married to a physician while she was earning her own doctorate.  He was Dr. Internist.  She was Mrs. Dr. Internist.  After she got her own degree, they called her Dr Mrs Dr Internist.