|
Guidelines on
Attendance
Approved 19
October 1999
In keeping with
the Mission Statement of St. Thomas University, the English Department
believes that one of the ways to help our students "experience
the joy of intellectual accomplishment" is to set reasonable and
fair goals. We believe that this expectation of intellectual responsibility
and the application of a policy on attendance not only ensures that
our students have a greater chance of academic success, but also sets
the standard for what the workplace demands of them.
Section C.2.1.0
of the St. Thomas University Calendar states that "regular
attendance is expected of all students at all classes," and that
"the responsibility for meeting this obligation rests with the
student." Further, it states that: "it is the responsibility
of students to notify their instructors when they expect to be, or have
been, absent from class for any justifiable reason." Students are
advised to "consult the written course outline provided by the
instructor at the beginning of each course for the specific details
of the attendance requirements in the course." Finally, "it
is the prerogative of the instructor to determine when a student's scholastic
standing in any course is being affected adversely by repeated absences."
Section C. 4 states that "a student may be required to withdraw
from a course for repeated absences."
In the absence
of an instructor's own clearly defined requirements, the following policy
on attendance will apply:
1. We interpret
the phrase "regular attendance" to mean attendance at every
class. Students have a responsibility not only to themselves, but also
to their classmates, to be present and to participate actively.
2. It is expected
that students may be forced to miss a class or two each year because
of illness or personal problems, so they should weigh carefully any
absences for other reasons.
3. Extended absences
for justifiable reasons should be reported to the Registrar's Office,
who will notify the student's instructors.
4. In cases of
extended absences, students may be asked by the instructor to provide
a medical certificate, if applicable, that indicates clearly the dates
on which the student was incapacitated.
5. It is the responsibility
of the student to consult with both the instructor and other classmates
to obtain missed material, preferably before the next class. It is not
the instructor's responsibility to review missed material during class
time.
6. Permission
to make up for missed assignments and tests is at the discretion of
the instructor.
7. Penalties for
missed classes are at the discretion of the instructor, who may impose
one or a combination of the following penalties, or a penalty of his/her
own choosing:
a. a maximum number
of hours that may be missed without penalty;
b. a proportion of the total course grade for every hour missed beyond
the allowable number;
c. a failing grade for the course, if more than a defined number of
hours are missed;
d. permission to take the mid-year or final examination may be withheld;
e. requirement that the student withdraw from the course, following
the procedure set out in Section C. 4. of the Calendar.
Back
to Top
|
