Attendance Policy

Every student is required to attend class. Responsible class attendance is a prerequisite to sitting for a final examination.

Every faculty member is responsible for monitoring the attendance of his or her students and for keeping accurate records thereof. The method of taking attendance is up to the discretion of each faculty member and may consist of calling the roll, use of a seating chart, or use of a sign-in sheet. At the beginning of each semester, every faculty member must communicate, preferably in writing, his or her attendance policy with a clear indication of the number of absences that will result in withdrawal from the course or a reduction in grade. The specified number of absences should be appropriate to the number of meetings per week in the course, with fewer absences permitted in classes with fewer meetings. Failure to attend class, even for reasons beyond the control of the student, such as illness, is grounds for sanction. It is the student’s responsibility to keep track of his or her absences.

A student who does not attend at least eighty-five (85) percent of the class meetings in a course and/or who is chronically tardy for class does not satisfy the College's standard for regular and punctual class attendance. A faculty member may require a higher percentage of class attendance.

Administrative practice is to advise faculty that students should receive excused absences for recognized religious holidays.

Adopted: February 23, 1994 [Supersedes policy of 9/25/73]

Amended: November 15, 2000

Amended: May 8, 2015

Student Responsibility

Students are responsible for verifying each faculty member’s attendance policy. Most faculty provide their attendance policy in the course syllabus while others provide it during the first lecture or on their TWEN site. Students should take class attendance seriously to avoid a negative impact on their grade or failing a course because of extremely poor class attendance.