Class Attendance

General Policies

Regular class attendance is expected of all students.

Instructors must include a written statement of requirements regarding attendance and class participation in a course syllabus that should be distributed by the second class day. Prior to developing their own attendance policies, instructors should take note of the section entitled “Excused Absences”.

Any attendance statement developed should relate only to unexcused absences.

Whether an absence is excused or unexcused, students have full responsibility for obtaining information and assignments covered during the class or laboratory periods missed. While the instructor has an obligation to help students who have missed classes for bona fide reasons, such assistance shall not require unreasonable effort by the instructor.

If informed, the Office of Student Development will notify faculty of student absence when students are unable to contact their faculty. This will be done in the following situations:

1. when a student is staying in the hospital for several days;
2. when a student leaves campus quickly and unexpectedly due to reasons beyond his/her control and will not return for several days;
3. when a student unexpectedly cannot return to campus due to reasons beyond his/her control.

Student Health Services’ Notification Policy for Student Illness

Responsibility for class and lab attendance rests primarily with the student. The Health Center encourages students to assume their responsibility by communicating directly with instructors concerning class and lab absence. The Health Center does not issue written excuses/clinic visit notes to students for classes missed due to short-term illness or visits to the Health Center. If a student is advised not to attend class due to long-term illness or serious injury, faculty will be notified by the Office of Student Development via notification from the Student Health Center. When indicated as part of clinical management for short-term illness or less serious injury, the Health Center may recommend deferment of responsibilities, non participation in certain activities, and other appropriate measures for “health reasons.” Participation deferments are written at the discretion of the Physician or Nurse Practitioner. The Student Health Center will, with documented authorization from the student, verify an illness or injury if the faculty member wishes to call.

After receiving medical treatment at the Health Center, unless told otherwise, it is expected that the student will return to class or lab. If the student chooses not to attend class or lab, that decision is the student’s responsibility and notification to faculty rests with the student.

Excused Absences

In preparing statements regarding class attendance, instructors should be aware of the following official statements and regulations:

Field Trips. Extended field trips may remove students from classes of other faculty members. Instructors should not interfere with the student’s right or responsibility to go on any College approved extended field trip.

Religious Reasons. State Education law (Section 224-a) states that any student who is unable, because of his or her religious beliefs, to attend classes on a particular day or days shall be excused from any examinations, study or work requirements. The College is obligated to provide an equivalent opportunity for students to make up any examination, study or work requirement that he or she may have missed because of such absence (complete text of the law follows).

Military Leave. Students called to military duty should contact instructors immediately and discuss jointly with them and the Office of Student Development length of absence if known and if a formal leave would be appropriate.

Jury Duty.  Student is required to show proof to instructors.

Intercollegiate Athletics. Students on College athletic teams should not be required to attend class at times that conflict with official intercollegiate athletic events or be denied the same opportunity to make up the work or demonstrate competence that would be given any other students with a legitimate reason for absence, such as illness or a co-curricular field trip. Athletic absences should be treated the same as other excused absences.

Trips of College Performing Organizations. Students absent due to College Performances should not be required to attend classes at times that conflict with these performance schedules nor should they be denied the same opportunity to make up the work or demonstrate competence that would be given any other student with a legitimate reason for absence, such as illness or a co-curricular field trip.

Documented Illness. Student should communicate directly with instructors if they will miss classes due to illness. The Student Health Center will not provide excuses for students who miss classes due to an appointment or walk-in visit at the Center. The Student Health Center will, with documented authorization from the student, be glad to verify an illness or injury if the instructor wishes to call. If a student is advised not to attend class due to long-term illness or serious injury, the Office of Student Development will notify instructors.

Death of a Close Relative. Students should contact instructors individually or may contact the Office of Student Development who will then notify instructors of anticipated duration of absence.

Inclement Weather. At the request of the College Senate, the following statement is part of the College’s policy on inclement weather: “Commuting students who miss classes due to inclement weather will be permitted to make up academic work without penalty.”

Other. Natural calamities, accidents beyond students’ control, and other appropriate reasons deemed valid by the instructor.

Education Law Regarding Religious Absences

Absence from class for religious reasons: Section 224-a of the Education Law establishes State policy on absence from class for religious reasons. The official statement follows:

1. No person shall be expelled from or be refused admission as a student to an institution of higher education for the reason that he or she is unable, because of his or her religious beliefs, to register or attend classes or to participate in any examination, study or work requirements on a particular day or days.

2. Any student in an institution of higher education who is unable, because of his or her religious beliefs, to attend classes on a particular day or days shall, because of such absence on the particular day or days, be excused from any examination or any study or work requirements.

3. It shall be the responsibility of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to make available to each student who is absent from school, because of his or her religious beliefs, an equivalent opportunity to register for classes or make up any examination, study or work requirements which he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to the said student such equivalent opportunity.

4. If registration, classes, examinations, study or work requirements are held on Friday after four o’clock post meridian or on Saturday, similar or makeup classes, examinations, study or work requirements or opportunity to register shall be made available on other days, where it is possible and practicable to do so. No special fees shall be charged to the student for these classes, examinations, study or work requirements or registration held on other days.

5. In effectuating the provisions of this section, it shall be the duty of the faculty and of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to exercise the fullest measure of good faith. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of his or her availing himself or herself of the provisions of this section.

6. Any student who is aggrieved by the alleged failure of any faculty or administrative officials to comply in good faith with the provisions of this section, shall be entitled to maintain an action or proceeding in the supreme court of the county in which such institution of higher education is located for the enforcement of his or her rights under this section.
   It shall be the responsibility of the administrative officials of each institution of higher education to give written notice to students of their rights under this section, informing them that each student who is absent from school, because of his or her religious beliefs, must be given an equivalent opportunity to register for classes or make up any examination, study or work requirements which he or she may have missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to such student such equivalent opportunity.

7. As used in this section, the term “institution of higher education” shall mean any institution of higher education, recognized and approved by the Regents of the University of the State of New York, which provides a course of study leading to the granting of a post-secondary degree or diploma. Such term shall not include any institution which is operated, supervised or controlled by a church or by a religious or denominational organization whose educational programs are principally designed for the purpose of training ministers or other religious functionaries or for the purpose of propagating religious doctrines. As used in this section, the term “religious belief” shall mean beliefs associated with any corporation organized and operated exclusively for religious purposes, which is not disqualified for tax exemption under section 501 of the United States Code.

Unexcused Absences

It is assumed that excessive absence will result ultimately in inferior academic achievement by the student. It is not good practice, however, to reduce a student’s grade simply because of the absence or to increase a grade because of perfect attendance. It is better to cite a requirement of class participation rather than class attendance in determining grades. In addition, it should be noted the NYS Commissioner of Education has ruled that public school teachers should not give bonus points for class attendance or subtract points for failure to attend. The Commissioner ruled that achievement was the basis for assigning grades.

Instructors who note that a student is absent for an extended period of time (three consecutive absences) may report this to the Office of Student Development if they feel the student may be ill, is in trouble, or has left the College.

Non-attendance - First Week of Classes

• Students must attend one of the first two class hours in each course as well as the first laboratory (if applicable) or the instructor may have the student removed from the course. This is accomplished by notifying the Registrar either in writing, via e-mail, or via faculty web before the end of the first week of classes.

• If an illness or unavoidable circumstance prevents the student from meeting this attendance requirement, the student must notify the instructor or the academic department office of his/her intention to attend the course. If neither can be reached the student may ask the Office of Student Development to notify the instructor or department office. Such notification must occur during the first three class days of the semester.

 Flagrant Non-Attendance

• Students missing 25% or more of class, any time from the second week of class up until the last day to withdraw from an individual course (see Key Dates and Deadlines or Faculty Reference Guide for specific dates) may be removed from the course by the instructor.

• This removal from the course is accomplished by notifying the Registrar in writing, via e-mail, or via faculty web.

• Registrar will assign “WI” (Involuntary Withdrawal).

• Official class rosters are distributed to instructors approximately two weeks prior to the deadline for this action with a reminder to take action, if appropriate.

• Students appearing on the final grading web page must be assigned a final grade (not a “W”, Incomplete or Pending grade), regardless of student’s class attendance.

Classes Before and After Vacations (Senate Resolution)

The main business of the College is instruction. Instruction takes precedence over vacations, bus schedules, or personal convenience. Classes before and after vacations are a significant part of instructional time. Instructors will include significant materials in these classes and will at their discretion schedule examinations or other written assignments for these days.

Absence Prior to Final Exams

Students who have missed three weeks of classes immediately prior to the final examination may be barred from the examination. In such cases the student may receive any grade deemed appropriate by the instructor, as long as it is consistent with College policy. For example, instructors may not assign “W” grades. Incomplete and Pending grades must be assigned only under policies governing them.