Attendance
Class Attendance
The College is, first of all, an educational institution. Its purpose is to facilitate student learning in fulfillment of its mission to promote scholarship, spiritual formation, and service. Regular class attendance and active engagement with course content through participation in class are essential to meeting curricular goals and objectives.
Course instructors are expected to (1) include the College attendance policy in course syllabi; and (2) state clearly how attendance, participation, and/or unexcused absences will affect students' grades in specific courses.
Regular class attendance and participation are essential components of learning and responsible citizenship. Students are expected to attend all sessions of the courses for which they are registered.
Class Absence
Unavoidable absence due to documented illness, death of a close relative, or other emergency beyond the control of the student is excusable and the work missed may be made up.
All excuses for class absence should be presented to the instructor in advance when possible. Make-up of work missed can then be arranged. Absences for college-sponsored activities, including athletic participation and field trips, both on and off-campus, are regarded as excused, and all work may be made up without penalty.
When, however, an instructor finds that a student is failing because of excessive absence, whether excused or unexcused, the instructor may request that the student be withdrawn from the course. Absences due to late registration are considered as any other absence.
Since participation is an essential function of learning and each student contributes to the overall learning experience, absences will adversely impact class participation grades (though the impact may vary by course and professor).
- Cohort programs – More than one absence per course or more than three absences during the program may be grounds for administrative withdrawal from the program
- Online programs – Participation in an online course is determined by on time completion of postings and assignments in the course management system.
A student on Academic Probation is allowed no unexcused absences.
Tardiness to Class
Excuse for tardiness to class should be presented to the instructor at the close of that class session. Three unexcused tardies constitute an absence, as does any part of a class session missed that exceeds 20 minutes.