Undergraduate Advising Handbook Advising

Class Attendance Policy

It is expected that the student will attend all lectures and laboratories. The attendance policy for each course is announced by the instructor at the first class meeting of the semester. Where an instructor judges that repeated absence from a class has prevented a student's satisfactory achievement, a grade of FA (Failure due to Absence) may be submitted.

There are times, however, during the academic year when curricular and co-curricular events may conflict with classes. Absences, for whatever reason, do not relieve a student from responsibility for the normal requirements of a course. It is the student's responsibility to make individual arrangements with the faculty member prior to missing class(es). Faculty should provide, within reason, the opportunity for a student who misses class(es) to make up work. If activities are considered to be hurting a student's scholastic performance, the professor should contact the faculty member or the administrator sponsoring the activity. The prior attendance record of a student should also be taken into consideration.

Faculty should also provide, within reason, the opportunity for a student to make up work who is obliged to miss classes due to extenuating circumstances. The Office of Academic Affairs will contact faculty of a student who must be absent from class for an extended period of time for situations beyond the student's control. An extended period of time is defined as three days or more. These situations may include illness, death in the immediate family, or other situations as defined by the Dean of Students or the Director of the Wellness Center. Notification will be accepted from College faculty/administration, a student's family member, or the student him/herself. In some cases documentation will be required. The need for documentation will be determined on an individual basis by the College administrators listed above. Upon returning to the College, it is the responsibility of the student to make up any missed course work as required. A professor may suggest that it is in the student's best interest to withdraw from a specified course. The ultimate decision is the student's.

No instructor is obligated to admit a student who arrives late for a class, and each has the right to regard as absent any student who arrives late.