California State University, Long Beach
Policy Statement
01-01
January 30, 2001
ATTENDANCE POLICY This new policy was recommended by the Academic Senate on October
5, 2000
and approved by the President on December 14, 2000.
Students are expected to attend classes regularly. Classroom participation
is often one of the necessary and important means of learning and
in many classes is essential to the educational objectives of the
course.
FACULTY GUIDELINES ON ATTENDANCE/PARTICIPATION
Faculty members must include their guidelines for assigning grades
in the syllabus (as required by Policy Statement 99-19, Grades and
Grading Procedures). The syllabus must make clear whether any portion
of the grade is based on attendance and/or participation. It is
the students' responsibility to make themselves aware of each faculty
member's guidelines by carefully reading the syllabus.
Faculty members may drop students who fail to attend class during
the first week of the semester. However, students should not presume
that they will be dropped by the faculty member. Students who have
registered for a class, but never attended, should verify with Enrollment
Services whether or not they are officially enrolled. It is the
student's responsibility to officially withdraw from the class.
EXCUSED ABSENCES
Students may have a valid reason to miss a class. When any of the
following reasons directly conflict with class meeting times, students
are responsible for informing faculty members of the reason for
the absence and for arranging to make up missed assignments, tests,
quizzes, and class work insofar as this is possible. Excused absences
include, but are not limited to:
1. Illness or
injury to the student
2. Death, injury,
or serious illness of an immediate family member or the like
3. Religious reasons
(California Education Code section 89320)
4. Jury duty or
government obligation
5. University
sanctioned or approved activities (examples include: artistic performances,
forensics presentations, participation in research conferences,
intercollegiate athletic activities, student government, required
class field trips, etc.)
Faculty members are not obligated to consider other absences as
excused.
DOCUMENTATION
Faculty members may require students to provide documentation for
excused absences.
EXTENDED OR MULTIPLE ABSENCES
There are numerous classes offered on campus where attendance is
crucial since student participation is essential. Absence from these
courses may impact upon the work and participation of other students.
Students who anticipate extended or multiple absences during a particular
semester should consult with their advisor and the faculty member
before enrolling in any class to determine whether it will be possible
to complete the requirements for the course. Students who realize
after enrollment that they will have extended or multiple absences
should consult with the faculty member to see whether it will be
possible to complete the course requirements.
NOTIFICATION
The earliest possible notification is preferred. In some circumstances,
it may be possible for the student to notify the faculty member
of anticipated absences (e.g. for religious reasons or for scheduled
athletic events) during the first week of enrollment. Advance notification
(minimally one week in advance) is required for the following absences:
1. Jury duty and other government
obligation
2. Religious reasons
3. University sanctioned or
approved activities
The California Education Code (section 89320) requires "each state
university, in administering any test or examination, to permit
any student who is eligible to undergo the test or examination to
do so, without penalty, at a time when that activity would not violate
the student's religious creed. This requirement shall not apply
in the event that administering the test or examination at an alternate
time would impose an undue hardship which could not reasonably have
been avoided. In any court proceeding in which the existence
of an undue hardship which could not reasonably have been avoided
is an issue, the burden of proof shall be upon the institution."
It is the responsibility of the student to make advance notification,
contact the faculty member to make arrangements to make up any academic
work that may be missed, submit assignments on time, and to make
arrangements regarding activities, tests, quizzes, or exams that
may be scheduled during the absences.
If a student does not notify the faculty member one week in advance
of the date of absences for these reasons (jury duty, governmental
service, religious observances, or University sanctioned activities),
the instructor is not required to adjust the class schedule or to
allow for make up activities, tests, or exams. However, students
shall not be penalized for excused absences when circumstances make
it impossible to provide advance notice (e.g. student is engaged
in a University sanctioned event such as a performance, tournament,
or playoff which cannot be anticipated).
Students who expect to be absent from the University for any valid
reason, and who have found it difficult to inform their instructors,
should notify the academic department office. The department office
shall notify the student's instructors of the nature and duration
of the absence. It remains the responsibility of the student to
arrange with instructors to make up any academic work missed.
ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENTS
In circumstances where an actual assignment, some specific class
work, an activity, a quiz, or an exam cannot reasonably be made
up, it is the instructor's option to assign alternative work.
EFFECTIVE: Spring 2001 |