Attendance Policy - Seminary Residency
Residencies are an integral part of a hybrid course’s design. Therefore, a student’s attendance is a critical component of their success. Failure to fully engage in these in-person residencies disrupts the student’s learning experience and negatively impacts the learning community.
For all hybrid seminary courses, attendance is required for the entire residency. Failure to attend the full residency without prior approval will result in a significant grade reduction and possible failure of the course. The student is responsible for ensuring that they can attend the residency on the dates scheduled before enrolling in a course.
Exceptions to the Residency Attendance Policy
Certain extenuating circumstances may prevent a student from attending the full residency portion of a hybrid course. These limited circumstances include family emergencies, sudden personal illness, unanticipated/unresolvable conflicts at work, etc. Each of these circumstances is rare and clearly outside the student’s control. A conflict that a student could reasonably anticipate does not qualify for an exemption. Examples include previously scheduled personal events within the student’s control (e.g., a planned family vacation or doctor’s appointment), a previously scheduled work or ministry conflict (e.g., scheduled to teach), etc.
When a qualifying conflict arises, the student should notify the professor as soon as possible. The professor will determine whether an exception is appropriate and provide clear next steps. If it is determined that an exception is appropriate, the professor will decide a suitable alternative solution. This may include, but is not limited to, attending the course remotely (e.g., participate via Zoom), completing make-up work after the residency days, etc. It is important to note that approval for an exemption is not guaranteed.
A student who received permission to not attend residency is still responsible for completing make-up work commensurate to the residency’s instructional time. This make-up work will be determined by the professor and may include, but is not limited to, watching recordings of the residency, writing papers, completing case studies, etc. The professor will assign a due date for this make-up work. The student is responsible for completing the work in a timely and acceptable manner. Failure to do so will result in a penalty to the student’s final grade in the course. The professor will communicate the details of this make-up work and due dates to the student.
If the professor determines that an exception is not appropriate, the student may appeal by contacting their program director. This should be done promptly so as not to exacerbate the situation. The program director will make a final determination regarding a possible exemption. Solutions presented by the professor are not a matter of negotiation and are therefore not appealable to the program director.