ATTENDANCE POLICY

Students are expected to attend every meeting of the 0, 100, & 200 level courses.  Therefore, the Department of English requires all of its instructors to announce and abide by the following statement:

Failure is mandatory for students who are absent from more than 10% of the regularly scheduled class meetings.  (Note:  If 10% of the regularly scheduled class meetings results in a fraction, the number of absences allowed before mandatory failure shall be the next highest whole number.)

·                    The 10% absences are provided in case they are needed for emergencies or for participation in university-sponsored activities.  Emergencies are defined as circumstances beyond the student’s control, such as personal illness or critical illness or death in the immediate family.  The 10% absences are NOT free “skips.”  Students who use the absences for skips and then do not have them available to cover emergencies should not expect to be allowed to go over the 10% limit.

·                    Students who present the instructor with adequate and/or documented reasons for their absences will be allowed to make up missed work, if feasible.  However, the presentation of an excuse doesn’t mean that the absence didn’t occur or “doesn’t count.”

·                    Students who miss class are still responsible for in-class work, assignments on the syllabus, and suddenly announced homework.

·                    Students are responsible for initiating makeup work.

·                    Students who must be absent should notify the instructor in advance whenever possible.

·                    Students who arrive late for class will be counted as ½ absent; students who leave class before it is dismissed will be counted as absent for the entire period.

Research shows that the more students miss class, the greater their chances of failing.  Students who cut simply because the class is "too late,” “too early,” “too boring,” and/or “too inconvenient” rarely pass.

**In extraordinary circumstances, this policy may be waived for individuals at the discretion of the instructor.