THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE

FACULTY SENATE

Senate Document Number 0611F

Date of Senate Approval 12/08/11

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Statement of Faculty Senate Action:

APC Document 2 Revised: Proposal to amend Class Attendance Policy

(Revision of SD0510F) (Handbook 3.1.4.3.4) 

Effective Date: Fall 2012

1. Delete on Page 42 of the Catalog:

Class Attendance

Students are responsible for regular class attendance. Students failing to attend the first session of any class may be administratively dropped by the instructor; however, this is at the discretion of the instructor. It is the students’ responsibility to notify the OneStop Student Services Office of any changes to their schedules. Students who miss class to travel on university-sanctioned business, or for religious observances, are given excused absences for the class time missed. Occasional absences of this kind will have no punitive impact on their grades. It is the students’ responsibility to inform the instructor of their plans at least seven days prior to the sanctioned absence, and to make up all work missed within a specified time period, as agreed to by instructor and student. However, significant absences may affect academic performance and grades.

2. Add on Page 42 of the Catalog:

Class Attendance

Students are responsible for regular class attendance. Students failing to attend the first session of any class may be administratively dropped by the instructor; however, this is at the discretion of the instructor. It is each student’s responsibility to notify the OneStop Student Services Office of any change to their schedule. Students who miss class to travel on university-sanctioned business are given excused absences for the class time missed. Students are allowed up to two excused absences per semester for religious observance. Excused absences of these kinds will have no punitive impact on their grades. It is each student’s responsibility to inform the instructor of their plans at least seven days prior to the sanctioned absence, and to make up all work missed within a specified time period, as agreed to by instructor and student. Absences, excused or unexcused, may affect student learning.

Rationale
To operationalize the intent of North Carolina legislation which is to allow students to observe at least two religious holidays per academic year. This policy exceeds the legislation.

Impact

This will take instructor determination out of how many religious observances will be accepted and will make the policy uniform across the University.