Office Hours and Coffee Chats: Rethinking How Instructor-Student Interactions Support Students’ Sense of Belonging in Higher Education

A sense of belonging is widely recognized as a key factor in student success; however, the role of out-of-class faculty engagement in fostering this connection in leisure courses remains under-examined. This study investigates whether participation in office hours and the more informal coffee chats influence students’ sense of belonging over the course of a semester. Using a repeated-measures design, the data were collected from 49 undergraduate students enrolled in a leisure course at a large four-year public institution. Surveys administered at the beginning, middle, and end of the semester measured changes in students’ perceived belonging. Results indicated no statistically significant differences in belonging across groups. These findings suggest that while out-of-class faculty engagement may offer value in leisure courses, it may not be sufficient on its own to significantly impact belonging within a single semester. Limitations of the study, implications for instructional practice, and directions for future research are discussed.