Attendance Policy for Online Classes
Attendance in an online class is measured through participation in the learning management system (Canvas). Participation is defined as submitting a discussion post, exam, quiz, or written assignment within the online classroom. Simply logging into the online classroom does not count as attendance/participation.
The online week runs Monday through Sunday. Students are expected to attend/participate during each online week of the class. Instructor granted assignment extensions do not eliminate the attendance/participation requirement.
During the first online week (Monday – Sunday) of an 8-week online class, the student must validate their enrollment by attending/ participating. Students in a 16-week online class must validate their enrollment in the first two weeks of the semester. Students who fail to validate their enrollment will be dropped.
In an 8 week online class, failure to attend/participate in one online week (Monday – Sunday) will result in an official warning. Failure to attend/participate in two online weeks will result in the student failing the class and a WF grade will be recorded.
In a 16 week online class, failing to attend/participate in two online weeks (Monday – Sunday) will result in an official warning. Failure to attend/participate in four online weeks within the class will result in the student failing the class and a WF grade will be recorded. As the online environment is available 24/7, there are no excused absences for University-Sponsored events in an online class. Students in online classes are expected to manage their time and must attend/participate weekly and complete all work required.
Attendance Policy for Campus Classes
Students are required to attend all class meetings of courses for which they are registered. Students are responsible for meeting all the course requirements and properly addressing the content of courses for which they are registered. The policy below outlines the minimum standard for attendance, but certain programs or courses may require a stricter policy.
If a student finds it necessary to miss a class, it is the student’s responsibility to:
- Contact the course instructor by the last class session prior to the anticipated absence, if possible.
- Make arrangements in a predetermined amount of time established by the course instructor to complete missed course work.
- Provide the course instructor and Registrar’s office with appropriate documentation and verification of the need or reason(s) for the absence.
- The needs or reasons for excused absences may include ONLY the following that has been approved by the University Provost.
- Illness – a specific debilitating ailment that significantly impairs the student’s ability to carry on any activities other than those of recuperation.
- Unavoidable Personal Emergency – a situation that presents an unresolvable conflict with class attendance due to severe and unusual demands placed upon the student by circumstances beyond his or her control.
- Participation in a University-Sponsored Event – a situation that presents an unresolvable conflict with class attendance due to the student’s required participation in a University-sponsored event as approved by the University Provost.
Arrangements for missed work due to excused absences of this type must be made prior to the absence. Should the student miss class for the reasons stated above, and proper prior arrangements have been made, the instructors will follow their make-up work policy as stated in the course syllabi. Students bear the ultimate responsibility for all missed class material as outlined in each course syllabus. Instructors will provide reasonable opportunities to make up missed attendance points, course work completed in class, or homework assignments. However, they are not required to repeat lectures, lab experiments, music rehearsals or components of courses for which make up missed work may be impractical or infeasible.
When a student is absent for any other reason, the course syllabi must include policies specifying grade penalties for absences. Regardless of the reason, all absences from class will count toward the percentage of allowed absences. If a student is absent a significant number of times a written warning of attendance deficiency will be sent to the student, the student’s advisor, the Athletic Director, and each coach for which the student must maintain intercollegiate competitive eligibility.
A warning will be sent after a pattern of absences relative to the total number of class meetings per semester, term, or other academic sessions.
If for any reason, a student is absent from 25% of class sessions, or an equivalent amount of time during term courses and other academic sessions, the course instructor must notify the Registrar’s Office on a daily basis which will initiate the withdrawal of the student from the class with a grade of WF (Withdrawn-Fail).
A grade of WF will earn zero quality points as calculated for GPA purposes (i.e., GPA is lowered with a grade of WF). Students for whom withdrawal from a course is initiated by the Registrar’s Office will be allowed to withdraw from the said course with a grade of W (no impact on GPA) if the action is taken by both parties within the normal withdrawal time period.
Important Notes to Students on Attendance:
- It is important that students attend class and take responsibility to monitor their own attendance. Students should be proactive and provide evidence of a missed campus event, including field trips and athletic events, to the Registrar’s Office. It is not the responsibility of the Registrar’s Office to track campus activity absences for the student.
- Evidence must be received by the registrar’s office within 48 hours of the absence in order to be accepted. Screenshots of documents may be provided until a student returns to campus when the evidence must be given to the registrar’s office immediately. If original documentation is not received, the screenshot will not become permanent evidence.
- In order to avoid receiving a grade of WF for attendance issues, at least 75% of the maximum absences for each course must be for verifiable reasons and documentation must be provided. Whether an absence is verifiable is determined by the vote of the Attendance Committee (described below).
- If a student is absent from class due to an illness, a note from a medical doctor or the campus nurse is required, indicating the date and time of the appointment and the dates a student should miss class due to injury or contagion.
- Doctor’s appointments, physical therapy, and other types of appointments should not be scheduled during class time. In case of emergency appointments, it is the student’s responsibility to communicate with the Registrar’s Office and advisor.
- Absences for inclement weather will count toward the maximum, yet instructors will allow for work to be made up. If traveling, please attend to the weather and adjust plans accordingly so as to not miss class.
- Class days immediately prior to and right after days that campus is closed for breaks will not count as excused absences. It is up to the instructor for each course if work may be made up for these absences.
- If a student attends a funeral, a program from the funeral is the accepted documentation. One day prior to and one day following the funeral are allowed for travel if the funeral is further than 100 miles away and/or the student can show that the deceased is an immediate family member.
- Students may have extenuating circumstances, such as the need for surgery, which will cause them to be away from campus for a length of time during a term. These students are required to meet with the Director of Accessibility to set up a temporary accommodations plan BEFORE leaving campus. This plan will outline the number of absences allowed. If the student is unable to meet the requirements of the plan, withdrawing from class may be recommended.
- If a student receives medical or mental health accommodations, which include missing class, there must be a plan developed by the Director of Accessibility which outlines the maximum number of absences allowed. If the student is unable to meet the requirements of the plan, withdrawing from class may be recommended.
- Arriving on campus after the start of the term or before the term ends will not count as excused absences.
- Students with financial aid/business hold at the beginning of the term should continue to attend class, yet see the financial aid/business offices immediately for resolution. All absences count toward the maximum.
- An Attendance Committee will consider all other variables and any requests for waivers. The Committee is made up of three members: the University Provost, the Registrar/Assistant Dean and the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs/Dean of Students.
Hybrid Course Attendance Policy
Hybrid students are required to attend all class meetings of courses for which they are registered and must participate in the weekly online portion as defined by the professor in the syllabus.
Weekly attendance in a hybrid designated class is met by:
- attending the weekly face-to-face class time, and/or
- attending the online weekly session by submitting a discussion post, assignment, or quiz.
The hybrid week runs Monday through Sunday. Students are expected to attend/participate during each hybrid week of the class. Instructor granted assignment extensions do not eliminate the attendance/participation requirement.
During the first hybrid week (Monday – Sunday) of an 8-week hybrid class, the student must validate their enrollment by attending the weekly class time or participating in the online portion. Students who fail to validate their enrollment will be dropped.
In an 8-week hybrid class, failure to attend/participate in one hybrid week (Monday – Sunday) will result in an official warning. Failure to attend/participate in two-hybrid weeks will result in the student failing the class and a WF grade will be recorded.