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Policy 2206 – Class Attendance

Revision Date:  1/7/2021
Last Review: 1/7/2021
Responsible Office: Provost
Reference: University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors Board Bylaws & Rules C-II.VI 

Policy:

All students are expected to attend classes in which they are enrolled regularly and punctually   Failure to do so may jeopardize a student’s scholastic standing.

Definitions:

None.

Procedures:

Student Responsibilities

Upon registration, students accept the responsibility to attend regularly and punctually all classes in which they are enrolled. Failure to do so may jeopardize a student’s scholastic standing and may lead to suspension from the College or University. As University policy, a course instructor may recommend to the student’s academic Dean that a freshman or sophomore student be withdrawn from the rolls of the class if the student receives excessive unexcused absences (more than 10% of total class time).

The student is responsible for making arrangements satisfactory to the instructor regarding absences including prior notification of planned absences, providing documentation if needed, and making up of examinations and work as required. For other emergency absences, the student shall submit excuses for class absences to the appropriate instructor within three class days following the student’s return to his/her respective class. For classes which meet once a week, the excuse shall be presented no later than one calendar week following the student’s return. The Registrar’s Office does not issue excuses.

Faculty Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the individual instructor to establish a specific policy regarding class attendance. Faculty members are required to state in writing to the students their expectations in regard to class attendance at the beginning of the term (no later than the close of the drop and add period). Each instructor shall keep a permanent attendance record for each class. These records will be used to verify attendance to the Office of Financial Aid as required. The records are subject to inspection by appropriate College or University officials. As University policy, a course instructor may recommend to the student’s academic Dean that a freshman or sophomore student be withdrawn from the rolls of the class if the student receives excessive unexcused absences (more than 10% of total class time).

In accordance with the instructor’s written policy, the course instructor will determine the validity of a student’s reason(s) for absences and will assist those students who have valid reasons.

Examples of valid reasons for consideration of absences include:

  1. Illness
  2. Serious family emergencies
  3. Special curricular requirements such as judging trips or field trips
  4. Court-imposed legal obligations such as subpoenas or jury duty
  5. Military Obligations
  6. Serious weather conditions
  7. Religious observances (Faculty are to assist students whose religious beliefs require their absence from class in order to exercise those beliefs so that they are not penalized.)

Official University Excuses

Official University Excuses must be presented to the faculty member prior to the absences and will be accepted as excused absences.

Group activities which conflict with scheduled classes may be sponsored

  1. by the academic department and approved by the academic dean using the adopted form “Official University Excuse” found at (https://www.latech.edu/faculty-staff/forms/), or
  2. through the University athletic absence process. The sponsor will provide a copy of the documentation to the student(s) for presentation to respective instructor(s).

Official University Excuses may be approved only in the following circumstances:

  • A trip by a group of students in fulfillment of class or departmental requirements and the University controls time, route, and mode of travel.
  • Travel by an individual or non-class group for the purpose of representing the University and the University controls the time, route, and mode of travel (Athletics and athletic support groups as examples).
  • Authorized special duties at the University: (examples, ROTC students required participation, Band members required participation in on-campus events).

If a student believes he/she has been treated unreasonably because of participation in a University authorized activity, he/she can appeal using the following sequence of appeal to (1) individual faculty member, (2) departmental chairperson and (3) the appropriate college dean (college offering the course). The decision of the dean is considered final. The sponsor of the activity will assist the student with the appeal and provide evidence of proper documentation and faculty notification of the class absence(s) in question.

 

Policy 2206 – Class Attendance

Revision Date:  1/7/2021
Last Review: 1/7/2021
Responsible Office: Provost
Reference: University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors Board Bylaws & Rules C-II.VI 

Policy:

All students are expected to attend classes in which they are enrolled regularly and punctually   Failure to do so may jeopardize a student’s scholastic standing.

Definitions:

None.

Procedures:

Student Responsibilities

Upon registration, students accept the responsibility to attend regularly and punctually all classes in which they are enrolled. Failure to do so may jeopardize a student’s scholastic standing and may lead to suspension from the College or University. As University policy, a course instructor may recommend to the student’s academic Dean that a freshman or sophomore student be withdrawn from the rolls of the class if the student receives excessive unexcused absences (more than 10% of total class time).

The student is responsible for making arrangements satisfactory to the instructor regarding absences including prior notification of planned absences, providing documentation if needed, and making up of examinations and work as required. For other emergency absences, the student shall submit excuses for class absences to the appropriate instructor within three class days following the student’s return to his/her respective class. For classes which meet once a week, the excuse shall be presented no later than one calendar week following the student’s return. The Registrar’s Office does not issue excuses.

Faculty Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the individual instructor to establish a specific policy regarding class attendance. Faculty members are required to state in writing to the students their expectations in regard to class attendance at the beginning of the term (no later than the close of the drop and add period). Each instructor shall keep a permanent attendance record for each class. These records will be used to verify attendance to the Office of Financial Aid as required. The records are subject to inspection by appropriate College or University officials. As University policy, a course instructor may recommend to the student’s academic Dean that a freshman or sophomore student be withdrawn from the rolls of the class if the student receives excessive unexcused absences (more than 10% of total class time).

In accordance with the instructor’s written policy, the course instructor will determine the validity of a student’s reason(s) for absences and will assist those students who have valid reasons.

Examples of valid reasons for consideration of absences include:

  1. Illness
  2. Serious family emergencies
  3. Special curricular requirements such as judging trips or field trips
  4. Court-imposed legal obligations such as subpoenas or jury duty
  5. Military Obligations
  6. Serious weather conditions
  7. Religious observances (Faculty are to assist students whose religious beliefs require their absence from class in order to exercise those beliefs so that they are not penalized.)

Official University Excuses

Official University Excuses must be presented to the faculty member prior to the absences and will be accepted as excused absences.

Group activities which conflict with scheduled classes may be sponsored

  1. by the academic department and approved by the academic dean using the adopted form “Official University Excuse” found at (https://www.latech.edu/faculty-staff/forms/), or
  2. through the University athletic absence process. The sponsor will provide a copy of the documentation to the student(s) for presentation to respective instructor(s).

Official University Excuses may be approved only in the following circumstances:

  • A trip by a group of students in fulfillment of class or departmental requirements and the University controls time, route, and mode of travel.
  • Travel by an individual or non-class group for the purpose of representing the University and the University controls the time, route, and mode of travel (Athletics and athletic support groups as examples).
  • Authorized special duties at the University: (examples, ROTC students required participation, Band members required participation in on-campus events).

If a student believes he/she has been treated unreasonably because of participation in a University authorized activity, he/she can appeal using the following sequence of appeal to (1) individual faculty member, (2) departmental chairperson and (3) the appropriate college dean (college offering the course). The decision of the dean is considered final. The sponsor of the activity will assist the student with the appeal and provide evidence of proper documentation and faculty notification of the class absence(s) in question.