Course Attendance Policy
Scope
All financial and administrative policies involving community members across campus, including volunteers are within the scope of this policy. If there is a variance between departmental expectations and the common approach described through college policy, the college will look to the campus community, including volunteers to support the spirit and the objectives of college policy. Unless specifically mentioned in a college policy, the college’s Board of Trustees are governed by their Bylaws.
Policy
Students are expected to attend courses regularly and are responsible for course work whether present or not. Instructors will determine attendance requirements for their courses. In general, students who miss an examination or a paper deadline because of illness or personal emergency are allowed to take the exam or submit the paper later. The college believes in giving students as much freedom as is consistent with their academic progress. However, excessive absence, excluding illness or emergency, may result in a special probation or dismissal from the course with no credit.
Attendance policies must allow each student one absence to support well-being without penalty, details, or documentation (beyond notifying the professor about their absence). When flexibility would put undue stress on other students and/or faculty, instructors may indicate that well-being absences on certain days (e.g., exams that cannot be taken at multiple times, field trips) will adversely affect a student’s grade. Instructors may designate certain days (e.g., exams that cannot be taken at multiple times, field trips) as days on which missing class will adversely affect a student’s grade because flexibility would put undue stress on other students and/or faculty. Instructors should communicate such dates and their attendant grade consequences to students in advance.
Instructors are not expected to reproduce class experiences for students who are absent. Syllabi may outline what steps students should take to prepare themselves to reengage with class upon their return. Since grades for graduating seniors are due by 2 p.m. Wednesday, the last day of Block 8, seniors are expected to attend all classes through the end of Block 8.
Procedures
None