Student Attendance

Registered students not attending the first day of a class may be dropped from the course(s) at the discretion of the instructor. Please note: if a student no longer intends to remain in a course, it is the responsibility of the student to ensure that the course is dropped by the deadline stated in the. Students who are unable to attend the first class meeting due to circumstances beyond their control must notify the instructor of the course prior to the first class meeting. Students who late-register during add/drop or late registration period should not be dropped for first-day non-attendance.

Students are expected to attend all of their scheduled classes in order to satisfy all academic objectives as outlined by the instructor. Instructors may establish specific attendance requirements. These attendance requirements must be published in the course syllabus and disseminated at the first class meeting. It is the student's responsibility to give the instructor notice prior to any anticipated absence, and within a reasonable amount of time after an unanticipated absence. The instructor has the right to handle individual cases of student non-attendance and to determine the effect of absences upon student grades.

In the event of absences related to participation in a University-sponsored activity, instructors must allow students the opportunity to make up work due during such absences; however, it is the student's responsibility to make prior arrangements with the instructor to hand-in written materials (e.g., assignments, papers and projects) and to reschedule any activities that would normally occur during class (e.g., quizzes, tests, presentations and performances).

Instructors use a variety of means to determine the extent to which a student has met the objectives of a course. Students absent due to participation in University-sponsored activities can expect their course grades to be determined based on their performance on graded material and activities. There should not be any reduction in a student's final course grade simply because the student was absent due to a University-sponsored activity.

For the purposes of this process, a University-sponsored activity means any activity on or off campus which is initiated, aided, authorized or supervised by the University, such as academic field/study trips, TLO activities, intercollegiate athletic events (competition and travel related to competition; does not include practice), official meetings of student government leaders, University programming and international travel. In case of a disagreement about whether an activity constitutes a University-sponsored activity, the Provost shall make the determination.

Students who have been administratively dropped from a class roster for failure to pay fees may continue attendance until the reinstatement deadline, as published in the academic calendar. Only those students who are enrolled in classes are permitted to attend class beyond the reinstatement period. Special guests may be permitted to attend specific class sessions with the permission of the instructor and in compliance with fire code capacity and other safety protocols.

Non-attendance does not guarantee that a student will be dropped from a course. The student is fee liable for all courses in which they are registered unless the student initiates a drop during the add/drop period as published in the UNF Academic Calendar.