Class attendance is expected of all students because the formal basis of a college learning experience is the lecture, the laboratory, and the discussion group. Faculty members establish and maintain attendance requirements in their courses and must inform students and the Office of the Dean of Advising of those policies. Students are responsible for meeting class and examination schedules. Unwillingness to meet attendance obligations may result in a penalty, often failure in the course.
At the will and judgment of the class instructor, if a student accumulates an excessive number of unexcused absences, as defined in the course syllabus, the instructor can request a formal review of this behavior by the appropriate class dean in the Office of the Dean of Advising. During the review, the dean will meet with the student to assess the student’s commitment to the course and to formulate a plan, if necessary, for addressing any underlying issues beyond the classroom. Based upon the outcome of this review, the dean will normally include a formal warning to the student of possible mandatory withdrawal from the course if the unexcused absences continue. (In consultation with the instructor, this warning will normally specify the maximum number of additional unexcused absences before mandatory withdrawal.) The outcome of this review will be reported in writing to the instructor and student. The student also must meet with the instructor in order to reaffirm his/her commitment to the course. If the student continues to miss class in excess of the formal warning and without excuse, the instructor may notify the Dean of Advising, prompting the student’s mandatory withdrawal from the course.
The student will be awarded a WD for a course withdrawal that occurs through the 11th week of the semester. After the course withdrawal deadline, the student will have earned and be awarded the appropriate grade, as determined by the faculty member.
Any student with an excessive number of absences or attendance patterns of concern should be brought to the attention of the class dean.