Skipping classes?

All students "know" that attending class is important, but some still find more exciting things to do than attend class. Unfortunately, skipping (or simply missing) class can have some serious reprocussions:

1) You may miss important information that's not in the textbook. Make sure you borrow notes from another student. But, bear in mind, they might not have written down something important that you would have had you been in class. And, you're still expected to know all of the material whether you were physically there or not.

2) Each Instructor has their own attendance policy. And most Instructors will not take work late if you missed a class. Make sure that you know exactly what each of your Instructors requires of you. Missing a class could cost you a good rappor with the Instructor or even a couple of letter grades in the course.

3) Repeated absences doesn't look good. You may think that missing a class here and there isn't a big deal, but your Instructor sees it differently. If they are there every day and on time, they expect the same from you. By coming in late or not coming at all, you're telling them that what they have to say isn't important and their class is a waste of your time. That can be a problem should you have problems with the material and need their help. It can also cause problems if you ever need a letter of recommendation for a job or another school.

4) The college has a strict attendance policy that ALL of your Instructors are required to adhere to. JSRCC's policy is:
J. Sargeant Reynolds has recently revised the policy on student attendance. The policy revision requires instructors to document and report student attendance for all courses. Attendance in this course will be taken each scheduled class period. At the end of 15% (the add/drop deadline) of the course and again at the end of 60% (the withdrawal deadline) of the course any student having been absent for the last three consecutive periods or weeks, will be involuntarily withdrawn from the class. This action could impact your financial aid (if applicable).

• Students are responsible for their enrollment and attendance in a course and must comply with all institutional obligations and institutional deadlines. Students wishing to drop from a course should complete an Add/Drop form, and submit it to an Access Center or complete the transaction using the Student Information System (PeopleSoft) by the published Add/Drop deadline. After that, students wishing to withdraw from the course should complete a Request to Withdraw from Class(es), and submit it to an Access Center by the published Withdraw from Class with a Grade of “W” deadline.
• Students who do not submit the appropriate forms, or attend classes within the guidelines outlined in this policy may have an adverse transaction occur on their record, which may include involuntary removal from the course or a grade “F” given for the course. An exception to these actions could occur if the student has contacted the instructor and provided a valid reason for his or her extended absence.

What does this mean? It means that you can lose your financial aid if you miss too many classes!


So, what should you do?

1) Try not to miss class. It's important for you to be there to get material and so that the Instructor can check on your progress in the course. It also builds a good reputation with your Instructor and other students.

2) If you must miss class, email/call the Instructor and let them know. Also, check on the syllabus for each class that you miss to find out what the Make-Up Policy is. Some Instructors will penalize you points, and others may require documentation if you want to make up the work at all. And, if you still have questions - ask. That's what office hours are for! :)

-Prof M