Attendance Policy

Regular class attendance is expected for Traditional Undergraduate students. This policy details the number of classes a student may miss and for what reasons. The scope of this policy includes ramifications for exceeding the allowable number of missed classes.

Students must attend 80 percent of the classes in a course in order to pass. Absences beyond 20 percent result in a failing grade for that course. The 20 percent includes all types of absences (ex: illness, emergencies, schedule conflicts, college sponsored events etc.), including absences related to late registration and/or late admission.

In actual numbers, the 20 percent equivalent is:

• 3 absences for courses meeting once a week
• 6 absences for courses meeting twice a week
• 9 absences for courses meeting three times a week

When a student is expected by the College to attend a college-sponsored event, he or she will be permitted to make up missed in-class assignments as arranged, in advance, with his or her professor and will not lose points for attendance and/or participation grades. An event is considered college-sponsored when it is officially endorsed, funded, or specified as such by the College. Examples of college-sponsored events are intercollegiate athletic games (not practices), class/department-sponsored activities, and donor events.

If students have reached the maximum allowable number of absences in a course, they may appeal to the academic chair or dean of their department using the College Sponsored Event Form for consideration of an excused absence to attend a college-sponsored event. Excused absences pertain only to college-sponsored events and will not count toward the 20 percent of allowable absences. Decisions about excused absences will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Faculty may develop class policies within this institutional attendance policy to address over-cutting, lateness, and/or early dismissal. Course attendance requirements beyond the minimum 80% should only be imposed by faculty in experiential or field-based courses and must be approved by a department chair or academic dean. Specific attendance policies will be found in the course syllabus. In lieu of a course-specific policy, the college’s minimum attendance policy will be in effect.

If students fail a class due to not meeting the minimum requirements for attendance and they believe there were extenuating circumstances present, they may submit an appeal through the Registrar’s Office to the Student Appeals Committee. Such appeal must include grounds for the appeal, along with documented and substantiated support.