When should private tutors communicate with course professors? Students often seek help from a variety of sources, including private tutors, who can be found either locally or remotely on websites such as Wyzant, Chegg, Tutor.com, Varsity Tutors, etc.
As a relative newcomer to the world of online tutoring I am gradually coming to realize that protection of academic integrity, while somewhat fundamental to the entire enterprise, is somewhat of a challenge; this is especially true when tutoring remotely.  Academic integrity is a potentially sensitive subject, in the sense that it is easy to impose an unintended policy (or one with unintended side effects) on others by accident, either actively or passively.
I am wondering if it is appropriate for tutors to be in communication with their students' teachers in order to ensure that their lessons are not somehow incompatible with school or class academic honesty policies or integrity frameworks.  On the one hand, teachers and Professors could benefit from knowing if a large number of their students are seeking outside help to understand lessons, and from having transcripts of one-on-one tutoring sessions as well.  On the other, there is a small possibility that, for any number of what would amount to legitimate reasons, they (individual teachers and/or Professors) might regret this knowledge, and that the set of appropriate stewards of tutoring sessions (or the &quot;relevant data&quot; thereof) does not include them, but rather consists of a comparably* sparse network of educators and administrators that is nonetheless robust.  Would it be generally acceptable to leave this decision in the hands of the student?  Or is there a more appropriate (more graceful or less awkward) way to maintain academic integrity for tutoring sessions?
*That is, with respect to a &quot;radically open&quot; network that includes everyone who might have any interest whatsoever, including the course professor.
Academic integrity is the responsibility of the student.  Everyone has a responsibility to decline to knowingly assist cheating.  Only the instructor and university have a responsibility to actively discourage cheating.
So no, you do not need to contact professors unless your employer requires it.