ATTENDANCE POLICY

 

You are expected to come to class on-time and prepared! You are expected to read all assigned materials carefully before class.

 

This class meets for 44 days throughout the semester.

 

Students must attend at least 3/4 of this time to pass the course.

 

The maximum number of absences a student can have and still pass the course is 11. On absence 12, students will earn an automatic fail.

 

Grades will, however, be affected by all absences over 5, without LitTix.

 

The course is very in-class intensive. This is NOT a lecture course!

 

I will be assigning teams at the beginning of the term which will be expected to work together on projects throughout the semester, and attendance is vital for student success in this course.

 

Because this course is heavily dependent upon in-class participation, I will not acknowledge a difference between excused or unexcused absences, with very few exceptions. I have, in the past, excused absences for major surgery, jury duty, highly contagious illness (with a doctor’s note), death in the immediate family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, and closely-related cousins are included, and car accidents at the time of the course – all of these have required documentation and will continue to do so.

 

An excused absence means that it will not count against the student’s final grade. It does not mean that students are excused from the course work, or its deadlines, without express – written – permission from the instructor. This will usually occur by email; the instructor will ask the student to email her a reminder of the conversation in which she gave permission.

 

I will also consider excusing absences for religious holidays, but it is up to you to let me know – in advance – that this is the case!

 

I have not excused doctors’ notes for minor illness, anything related to Greek tradition (I once had a student ask me to excuse his absences for two straight weeks because he was pledging a Fraternity… not excused.), or court dates for reckless driving.

 

Here’s how the attendance policy works:

 

FIRST 3 ABSENCES ARE “FREEBIES”. USE THEM WISELY. SEE ABOVE.

 

ABSENCES 4-6, STUDENTS CANNOT EARN HIGHER THAN A “B” FOR THE COURSE.

 

ABSENCES 7-9 STUDENTS CANNOT EARN HIGHER THAN A “C” FOR THE COURSE.

 

ABSENCE 10-11, STUDENTS CANNOT EARN HIGHER THAN A “D” FOR THE COURSE.

 

FINALLY, PLEASE NOTE THAT 3 TARDIES (MORE THAN 5 MIN MISSED CLASS) EQUAL ONE ABSENCE

 

If you have arrived after roll is called, please make sure to let me know at the end of class, so that I can mark you present. It is your responsibility to make sure your attendance is recorded.

 

Attendance for less than half of the class meeting will be considered an absence.

 

Additional attendance policies that will not affect your grades are as follows: In the unlikely event that class is canceled, I will notify you as soon as possible via Blackboard or Remind.

 

If I am late for class, students are expected to wait at least 15 minutes before leaving. After the 15 minutes, please sign your names on a piece of paper and have one student either slide the list under my office door (517 Strode) or bring the list to the following class meeting.

 

If class is cancelled for inclement weather or emergency reasons, your grade will (obviously) not be affected.