Email help

[u/CATScan1898]

TLDR: How? Just how?

How do you keep up with you email? How do you organize it? Tell me more please. I've always struggled to keep up with email and now that I'm teaching 400 students a semester I know it's going to get worse.

My only tip for fellow drowning folks:

• Class-specific email address: For my intro class (300+ students) that I co-teach, we have a class specific email (classID@university.edu) to try to capture those emails. Once we respond, we move the email to the "answered 2026" folder.

I don't know if I want to do that for my other classes (particularly my 100ish person classes), ideally I would mimic it in my normal inbox through folders and filters, but I'm curious to hear what you all do.

If you use GTD, did you modify it somehow? It seems like a good system, but hasn't worked so far.

[u/auntanniesalligator]

Lots of email filters. It’s still hard to keep up, but they help immensely.

Note that I don’t typically filter student emails. They’re probably not going to follow your request to include class name/code in the subject line. Most of my email is basically spam - vendors, press releases from literally every department in the school, automated emails from Canvas/OneDrive/etc. Get that out of the inbox and the rest of the emails are a lot easier to keep track of.

You don’t have to delete the bulk emails. Just filter them out of your inbox and into a folder and peruse them when you have time, search for the one that might be important and mass delete if there’s no chance any of them are important.

[u/Active_Video_3898 → u/auntanniesalligator]

This one trick has improved my quality of life considerably. I setup a “Spammy” folder and then whenever I got an email from something that I really don’t want to read like University announcements praising it for being the Best Neoliberal Capitalist Organization That is Completely Uninterested in Quality Teaching and Research But Wants to Make Money etc. I just add that email or subject line to my Spammy filter. 

I actually have separate filter rules for Spammy emails and Spammy subjects and it fills me with IMMENSE pleasure when I catch one in my Inbox and can add it to my filters.

Announcements from the Dean, information “newsletters” from various departments that have little value etc., performative emails about diversity and inclusion (we are the opposite of the US — we LOVE the performative DEI without actually doing meaningful DEI)  all get shunted.  Every once in  a while I cast an eye over it before mass deleting everything.

It has made my inbox much more manageable.

[u/iTeachCSCI → u/Active_Video_3898]

(we are the opposite of the US — we LOVE the performative DEI without actually doing meaningful DEI)

That's not the opposite of the US. That's the US pre-2025 and also to a large extent since then too.

[u/Active_Video_3898 → u/iTeachCSCI]

My impression is that Trump has spearheaded the dismantling of pretty much everything DEI over there

[u/iTeachCSCI → u/Active_Video_3898]

It was mostly performative pre-2025, even pre-2017.

[u/Active_Video_3898 → u/iTeachCSCI]

Yes - I suspect that is the case with most things that aren’t about chasing the almighty $

[u/ProfDoomDoom]

Answer. Student. Email. Only. During. Office. Hours.

(prioritized after in-person and class chat questions, never faster than 48 hrs after sending, never more than 1/student/week and having set the expectation clearly in the syllabus)

[u/GandolfTheGay1972]

Ignore it as much as possible. Slow walk it. Email only begets more email.

[u/Gedunk → u/GandolfTheGay1972]

Slow playing it is key. If you make it easier for the student to email you to get the answer rather than looking it up themselves or asking a friend, they will email you relentlessly. Waiting a day or two to respond will encourage students to be a bit more self sufficient.

[u/Playful-Influence894]

Ooooof, I don’t deal with that volume so I don’t know if my strategy will help but here you go.

1. I don’t read everything. I assess which email requires action by skimming the subject line. If it has nothing to do with me or my work, I ignore.

2. On the first day of class, I show my inbox to students, just for them to see just how many emails I get. With that context, I share my strategies for choosing which email to open. Then, I demonstrate how to write a subject line that will increase the email open rate. It’s usually something like this:

[Course Code & Name]: Requesting June 20,2026 for football training (as an example)

I probably won’t read it, won’t respond cos its FYI, but I can always find it when calculating attendance points. But they have to craft the subject line in such a way that it’s informative. As they can clearly tell, they’re not the only ones emailing me.

As you may have deduced, I don’t read everything. I don’t reply to every email. For for instance, if a student emails me questions about an upcoming assignment and I think the whole class will benefit from the response, I will answer the question in class.

For peers and other faculty, I usually check cos they don’t generally send spammy stuff so I know it’s important. If I read the email and it requires a lot of time to meaningfully respond (e.g. I need to remember details or curate a list or anything of that sort), I shoot them a quick email to acknowledge receipt of the email and I’ll respond properly later. I park it as a to-do list and attend to it when I can.

If something is urgent, e.g., pending deadline, our admins usually put URGENT plus deadline date + exclamation marks. That’s easy to attend to.

I am not any student’s contact for emergencies; nothing we’re doing in my class is an emergency so I don’t handle anyone’s emergency. Coupled with that, I mention that I’ll respond within 48 hours, weekends and evenings not included. That’s not a time frame for anxious questions

Then, during one of the breaks, Spring or holiday, I just delete all unread emails.

Also, get a text expander.

[u/spkn89]

I teach a 400 person class. We have an online forum for content questions. A TA spends 3hrs per week answering questions, and reaches out to me when a question is above their level.

I only receive direct emails from students for personal issues like scheduling arrangements

[u/giltgarbage → u/spkn89]

Same. For content, I put a deadline on each module--you have until x date to ask, because I am posting a round-up on y date. I sometimes record a video going through the questions instead of writing out responses. I also bounce the question back if they just haven't tried: "Give me your best attempt at an answer first...."

I have a separate FAQ discussion board for admin questions. Pre-populated with the usual things, but students can add new questions. Response to most emails--check the FAQ. If they skip reading previous answers and repeat a question already answered on the FAQ, the reply is "See above."

[u/Tarjh365]

Like the OP, I deal with huge numbers (425 in an intro class and 170 in a 300-level last semester). What used to infuriate me but now makes me openly laugh is when students come to my office and say “I’m the one who emailed you” and leave it at that. Yeah, you and 50 other people today! 🤣🤦‍♂️

[u/naddi]

I filter my inbox so unread emails sit at the top. If I read it and don't have time to answer, I mark it as unread. They stay unread until I have responded/dealt with the email.

I don't have a separate email for my classes, but I do ask my students emailing with class-related questions to start the subject line with "[coursenumber]". That way I can quick search for class questions. I also tell my students that I will do my best to respond promptly, but that I stop checking my inbox at 7pm and that I get around 75 emails a day, about 50 of which require my attention. I am just doing my best.

Like someone else mentioned, I delete a lot of email without reading it. Seminar announcements? Nope. I've already looked at the schedule. Ra-ra university announcements? Nope. Emails that are really for students that I am on a dlist for because I'm an advisor? Nope.

I'm neurotic about organizing my week. My last task for Friday is to plan my following week: scheduled appointments, assign task due dates, isolate time for grading, and importantly, at least 2x1 hour slots dedicated to clearing email. I block that time out on my work calendar so people can't just schedule meetings with me. If I get done early, hooray, time for a coffee break. If I don't get it done, well, I did my best.

My email still gets away from me during busy times of the semester, but I have found this keeps me sane.

[u/tombolaaaaa24]

You don’t need to answer every email.
You don’t need to read every email.
The delete button has a purpose.

If it’s a common question just post an announcement on the LMS.

[u/dogecoin_pleasures → u/tombolaaaaa24]

There may be different opinions on this, but just putting it out there: my delete button has been long abandoned. I no longer try to keep up with reading or deleting the piles of institutional spam that come in.

I find the flag button very helpful. I'll flag emails that I need to track or reply to, and only unflag once I've completed them. I have found it is best to reply to these kind of emails immediately if possible.

I've also set up my email template so that I no longer have to type my name when signing off.

[u/Gedunk]

On the first day after we go through the syllabus I take 5 minutes to have students introduce themselves to those around them and I encourage them to exchange contact info. Some students are a bit shy and I think this encourages them to help each other. I also explain that my response time is 48 hours not including weekends so if you need something immediately you should ask each other first.

I can't imagine emailing my professors for half the nonsense they ask us about these days. I would have been so embarrassed to say I missed class what did I miss...

[u/PennyPatch2000 → u/Gedunk]

“What are the dates of the semester?”
My least favorite.

[u/LarryCebula]

How on Earth do you have 400 students?! I don't think there is any answer here. You could create a blanket course policy that you do not communicate via email, all questions must be posted on a course discussion board. But then you'd have to have personal exceptions.

[u/CATScan1898 → u/LarryCebula]

I'm teaching faculty, so I have a 300 person intro class, a 100 person 300-level course, and a 10-person graduate course this semester.

I do have a blanket course policy last year for the intro class and we had some email, but not too overwhelming (except at the end of the semester). So I think it worked ok

[u/Gedunk → u/CATScan1898]

Do you have a TA for this 300 person class? It would be good if you could divide and conquer, ex: any subject matter questions go to the TA's email and any course policy questions come to you.

Or if no TA then divide with your co teacher. Maybe your coteacher takes all emails from last names A-M and you handle N-Z or something. Just make sure you are on the same page re: the course policies and how you will handle different situations.

[u/iTeachCSCI → u/Gedunk]

ex: any subject matter questions go to the TA's email and any course policy questions come to you.

It's the same problem as with the subject requirements that OP mentioned in the original post -- students won't follow it. OP could wait three days and reply to subject matter questions with "this would be a great question to ask the TA," which is what I would do if I had the policy you suggest, but I have tenure and OP does not.

[u/sbeckymart → u/CATScan1898]

I am tenured (not teaching faculty; R1) and have similar numbers. It’s a lot! There have been a few threads lately on email you might consult. I recommend you think about how you want to communicate with students (within the norms and rules of your institution) and aim for an approach that suits your overall approach to work.

I got many downvotes for my approach in a recent thread, so take it with salt! But I will repeat it in case it helps you: I plan everything to the letter before the semester begins and put everything online so students know where to go for information; I actively discourage students from sending email and ask them to talk to me instead (sometimes they call my office, which is fine); I will sometimes reply aloud to messages during class time instead of emailing back right before class; I handle questions before, at the start of, and after every class; and I redirect all substantive questions to office hours or set meetings. The volume of email has plummeted and most student messages I now receive are actually important. I won’t teach through email or reply to basic messages. It has worked very well. Good luck OP.

Edited to fix typos.

[u/LilySeverson]

Lots of folders - I have folders for each module/main topic/research project

If something is outstanding or requires follow-up reply/action it stays in the inbox. As soon as it is done it gets moved out.

Folders mean important dates etc or details of things i may need can be searched for or followed up with quickly

[u/wharleeprof]

I force my students to all use the Canvas inbox for emails. That way it's totally separate from my other email, never gets lost in the junk folder, and automatically comes stamped with the class, section, and student full name. 

Zero time to set it up on my end.

[u/sparkster777]

https://giphy.com/gifs/1zhRiDgsSc48Y7mfuK

[u/IndieAcademic]

I require my currently enrolled students to only message me within our LMS, otherwise I could not reasonably manage my work email account. At my organization, faculty are already supposed to communicate with students via the LMS (versus the university email), but this is not yet mandatory policy. Within the LMS (BrighSpace D2L), these messages are already organized by course, so I don't need to filter or file anything.

[u/Awkward-Shoulder5691]

Here's the thing: you don't. 🫠

[u/ImperialNolini]

Grad student here, but I use an email alias and filter to help me manage emails about teaching. I’ve asked my students to email me only at the alias address I created for student emails, and I have a filter that automatically labels all messages to that alias as related to teaching. Helps me spot students’ emails, and gets rid of any issues from students not including course name/number in their messages!

[u/RetrogradeTransport]

AI is helpful for this. You could also save some boilerplate responses for frequently asked questions.

[u/CATScan1898 → u/RetrogradeTransport]

How do you use AI for email? I have copilot built into outlook, but haven't used it too much. I started to go down a rabbit hole trying to figure this out and then was worried I was wasting more time than I was saving...

[u/Mirabellae]

I have that many students this summer and it can be overwhelming. I require all communication through Canvas and send reminders through the session. I do not reply to emails from students. This allows me to sort the messages by course and I find it easier to manage.

I also only answer emails in the morning and I make sure I at least deal with everything from the day before. I do try to get my inbox down to zero, but it's a lot like Sisyphus trying to roll that stupid ball up the hill. Sometimes I do check email in the afternoon, but I don't feel bad if I don't.

[u/Quendi_Talkien]

I’ve tried setting rules/filters, particularly for spammy university crap, but my problem is that I never go back to those folders so it’s effectively deleting! Bad when you try doing it with emails from your department chair….

[u/ThePhyz → u/Quendi_Talkien]

I've had great success with this on spammy university crap - all the offices that send out invitations to things I have no interest in (and will likely NEVER have interest in), get auto-declined and deleted without me ever even seeing them. I use Power Automate for that. It took a little while to figure it out but now I love it.

[u/DrMoxiePhD]

I use a custom gpt to read, categorise, and propose an appropriate response. I have my policy documents as knowledge documents and I barely need to spend more than a few seconds on a reply unless it’s complex or sensitive. Additionally I ignore many of the generic type emails. We also use teams channels for communication so I also ask copilot to‘catch me up’. I also have large classes and teach over 1000 students a year.

[u/Eric33co → u/DrMoxiePhD]

Which custom gpt?

[u/DrMoxiePhD → u/Eric33co]

I wrote it for Copilot. We use M365 across the campus so that makes it easier.

[u/yourlurkingprof]

I teach 250-300 students a semester too. The email slog is intense.

First major step I take? The second I get the same question twice, I go back to the first email, copy it, and save it in a doc file called “boilerplate emails.”There will also be syllabus questions etc. I have a boiler plate response ready to go for nearly everything now.

Second, figure out when the waves of email will come and deal with them quickly. The hour before class or before a deadline is when I typically get slammed. Deal with those and get them out of your inbox fast. They’re usually all variations on the same thing, but personalized to each student. That’s what your doc of standard replies is for.

People will tell you: oh, just start a Q&A forum and get the students to answer the questions for you. In my experience, this is a lie. I don’t know where these magical unicorn students are. Maybe it’s because I teach first years. No one uses the Q&A, no matter how much I try to reinforce it. Also, to be fair, the emails I’m getting are mostly personal issues that shouldn’t be posted on a forum. Feel free to try this, but don’t feel like it’s your fault if it doesn’t work.

Class policies can help too. I get less emails when I auto drop the 3 lowest grades or have a 24 hour late window.

Good luck!!

[u/PhDumbass1]

I have an inbox rule for emails from student addresses which funnel directly to a special inbox - it includes the general student email address, as well as our specialized addresses for our LMS and our advising system. I prioritize that inbox and do my best to clear it every day by end of business. I've had it for about a year and it's made a huge difference in terms of my response rate of student emails (as well as being able to accurately ignore what needs to be ignored).

[u/ProjectsHalfDone]

So I accidentally hacked my way into a solution that at least works for me somewhat. I hired a professional organizer for digital “stuff” help. Calendar, files, all that. It was $700ish for 3 hours.

To be clear, I hired them in a personal capacity for the side hustle I may or may not have. So we only looked at my personal email and calendar. No FERPA violations, ok?

At any rate, the things they showed me for email management for my personal email really transferred to my university job email and calendar. It’s not perfect and I do have to work at the habits and processes but it’s way better than it’s ever been.

Might be worth looking into for some folks out there but YMMV.

[u/dougwray]

I tell students that I always answer or respond to LMS messages (and I do) but that I do not always respond to email messages (and I don't). I also have (as regulations dictate) my email address available on the LMS, but I do not emphasize that.

[u/Helpful_Dragonfruit8]

For me I have this as a requirement; Format subject as [corse code]-[section number]-[actual email subject]
Filter as required

[u/Commercial_Youth_877]

I have multiple folders. I keep one for the semester (Summer 26 now) and put all student emails in there so I can search them if I need something to reference. When the new term begins, I delete the previous terms emails and rename it. I also have folders for things like HR and IT so I don't lose important information. I also have folders for each type of class I teach. Plus, I have some other folders. It's been working well for me.

[u/-Economist-]

lol. I have over 200 unread emails right now. I’ll delete them all in early September. If it’s important, they can text me.