Perfect Attendance

In the 2004-06 edition of the Southern University Catalog, the student attendance policy states that students are required to “attend classes regularly and punctually, as a minimum academic obligation.”
According to the policy, failure to adhere may, “jeopardize a student’s academic standing.”
The policy also says students are given three unexcused absences, and upon an instructors’ discretion and university policy, can fail a course if a forth-unexcused absence is accrued.
But are teachers under the same rule of law in regards to attendance?
Students can be heard in any department campus wide complaining about professors not showing up for class, or a professors’ lack of communication to their students about long absences.
“They act like we don’t have a life outside of school,” said Justin DuMass, a sophomore political science major from Houston. “I don’t live on campus. I don’t have time to waste coming up here.”
Junior psychology major Brittani Ware of Baton Rouge agrees.
“I take the time to come to class, and some of my teachers don’t,” Ware said. “I understand that teachers are human too and that sometimes they have to miss a class-I’d just like a notice before I walk all the way to the class.”
According to university policy, students can be penalized if they do not report reasons of absences to instructors on or before the class absence. The policy also states even once absences are explained, they are not removed.
Ware said there should be consequences of teachers not attending class as well.
“Their personal attendance policy should be null and void, especially if they aren’t following it themselves,” she said.
Within the Instructional Polices and Procedures of the Faculty Handbook, only three sentences are devoted to class attendance.
The handbook says, “Faculty members are expected to conduct their classes as scheduled, regularly and promptly. Faculty members should notify their chairpersons as soon as possible when they are going to be absent from class. Faculty members shall ensure adequate coverage of their classes during absences.”
Ronnie Foster, special assistant to the vice chancellor of Academic Affairs said his office rarely gets complaints regarding teacher attendance.
“We usually get them when a student has received a F grade at the end of the semester,” Foster said. “Then, the student has all types of complaints. The professor was never in class, they never learned, etc.”
Foster said students who have a problem with their instructor’s attendance need to report it to their department chairs.
“We can’t help the attendance issue after the semester ends and the grade has been given,” he said. “You have to let your college know. It’s what we’re here for.”