At Hendrix, we believe that regular student attendance in
class is necessary for student learning, constitutive of student professional
development, and a central component of the Hendrix experience. Therefore,
students who do not attend classes have failed to meet an important standard of
achievement by not living up to their responsibilities as a member of the
campus community. This is particularly true given the emphasis on student
discussion and participation in many Hendrix courses. Classroom teachers often
consider attendance a significant factor in the evaluation of student
performance. Thus, students are expected to attend all class meetings, even in
cases when the classroom teacher chooses not to take attendance.
If students must be absent from class, they are expected to
communicate with the classroom teacher as specified in the relevant course
syllabus. Students will be excused for absences resulting from observance of
religious holidays, cases of illness, and athletic competition, as well as any additional
reasons as determined by the classroom teacher (e.g., conference travel, Model
UN). Students do not need to present third-party documentation for absences
related to physical or mental illness. Misrepresenting reasons for an absence
to a classroom teacher is a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy.
Individual classroom teachers are expected to make clear
their specific policies for class attendance in their course syllabi, including
the timeline for and nature of what, if anything, is needed to make up for
excused absences. Because repeated absences impair academic performance regardless
of the reason for the absences, classroom teachers shall contact the student
and report repeated absences to their advisor. If attendance does not improve, the
classroom teacher shall inform the Office of Academic Success.
After following this procedure, classroom teachers may, at
their professional discretion, remove from their courses any student whose
unexcused absences over any three-week period reach or exceed 50% by notifying
the Registrar prior to the deadline for withdrawing from a course. A student
removed from a course under these circumstances will be notified by the Office
of the Registrar through the student’s Hendrix email account. A student may
appeal this action by contacting the Registrar within three business days of
the drop notice date. The Registrar will forward the appeal to the Academic
Appeals Committee for review and action.