Throughout my time at Mount Holyoke, I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t have strong opinions on attendance policies: They’re either thoroughly loved or strongly hated. However, I have found that these policies are most hated if they’re strict, with no opportunities to excuse or make up absences. Even though I am a big fan of grading attendance, I do tend to fall into the hater group with policies like the one mentioned above. Let me tell you why.
Strict attendance policies turn students into machines. When a professor doesn’t excuse absences, they’re actually saying we must be available to them at all times, regardless of emergency. They’re saying their class comes first, even if you’re going through a rough mental health day or caught the flu. This is extremely unhealthy for everyone involved. The student’s mental/physical health deteriorates, the professor has to deal with a cranky student, and other classmates may also get sick. Attendance policies are not supposed to be punitive.
Attendance policies are supposed to encourage students to come to class and get them excited about learning, not just getting an extra grade. Professors need to find a balance between being understanding of life’s ups and downs and also being firm on the importance of attendance for class. They must also evaluate how appropriate the policy is based on the content of the class itself; for example, courses with a flipped classroom model may not be as strict since you can understand the content without being in the classroom. This allows each student to make their own decisions, respecting their autonomy and individual learning styles.
In order to allow students to adapt their learning to what better fits them while still making time for wellness and healing, professors must allow a certain number of absences each semester. The allotted absences must be excused regardless of motive; better yet, professors shouldn’t ask why the student missed class and assume they made the best decision for themselves. If professors aren’t comfortable with giving students such liberty, they must provide a flexible, no-frills way of making up the absences with no penalty, such as a quick worksheet or reflection. However they may choose to go about it, the bottom line is that professors must be lenient on attendance policies to connect with their students and make the classroom experience enjoyable.