First Day Attendance Policy

Some classes are designated as “first day attendance”; others are not. The following policy applies only to classes designated as “first day attendance.”

For Students:

As a matter of policy, all students who register for a class with a first day attendance designation agree to participate in and abide by the following:

• Students should attend the first day of class, or consult with the instructor before the first class meeting regarding any potentially excusable circumstance that will make it impossible for the student to attend the first class meeting. Students accept that if they do not attend and do not contact the instructor before the first class meeting they will be dropped from the class.
• If students wish to drop the class, they should do so BEFORE the 1st day of class. This policy should NOT be used as a mechanism for students to drop classes.
• Students are responsible for the accuracy of their class schedule.
• Students whose registration falls below full-time status because of being dropped will be eligible for only a partial refund of fees if applicable.
• Students high on a wait list are encouraged to attend on the first day (although they may be turned away if there is physically not room for them), in the event registered students do not attend, so that they will not miss material/activities on the first day of class. However, the department holds the responsibility for adding students to the class. Priority is given to students on a wait list to get into that class.

For Instructors:

As a matter of policy, all instructors who have a first day attendance designation to their class agree to participate in and abide by the following:

• Instructors should take attendance using the most accurate roster possible.
• Instructors should report to the department, within one business day of the first class meeting, all students not attending the class regardless of class enrollment level. An exception can be made if the student has an excusable circumstance and has contacted the instructor prior to the first class meeting.

For Departments:

As a matter of policy, all departments that assign a first day attendance designation to a class agree to participate in and abide by the following:

• Departments are responsible for dropping students who do not attend on the first day of class. (Alternatively, they may forward attendance lists to the Office of Registration and Records for action by the Registrar.) This must be done within two business days of the first class meeting. Each department shall determine its own uniform procedure for processing drops in a timely fashion.
• Departments are responsible for emailing all dropped students informing them of this action.
• Departments who designate a class as a “First Day Attendance Policy” class but who repeatedly do not abide by the above will not be allowed by the college office to use the designation in the future.
• Departments are responsible for filling seats made vacant because of first-day drops. Priority is given to students on a wait list to get into that class.

Approved by Faculty Senate November 1, 2005.