Miscommunication

I work for the Department of Graphic Communications as an undergraduate teaching assistant. As part of any graphics lab, some flexibility in hours and extra hours are usually required to accomplish all assigned tasks and get all projects turned in on time. I am sometimes asked to stay for extra time or come in at alternate times to assist students in the lab.

This semester, my professor asked me if I could come in on a Saturday if I wasn't busy, but that she under stood if I couldn't. I said that if she let me know what time most of the students were planning to come in then I might be able to help out. She sent me an email the next day telling me that most students would be there from 10 to 12. I did not respond, and when Saturday rolled around, I decided not to go into the lab. A few days later I received an email explaining how my professor did not go into lab due to an emergency, but that she was grateful for all that I did to help students keep moving. She apparently assumed that I was coming in on Saturday.

The problem here was just a lack of clarity and explicitness. She should have asked for a more definite response, and I should have been willing to give one instead of ignoring it and making assumptions. There were not very big ramifications. I don't know if I could have accessed the lab for the students anyways, but even so, I think they were fine. I'm sure it would have been better had I been there, but next time I will just have to make sure things are clarified.