Class Attendance and Absence Policy

Attending class is a basic necessity for student learning and intellectual growth at Macalester College. While implementation requires the professional judgment of faculty and staff, and assumes student responsibility in ensuring that their academic goals are not negatively impacted by their college-sponsored co-curricular activities, this policy specifies guidelines for addressing class attendance and absence issues. Questions about this policy should be directed to the AVP/Dean of Students or Assistant Dean of Academic Programs and Advising.

I. Attendance in Classes

The faculty recognizes the importance of regular attendance in all courses. Attendance policy in classes, however, is left to the discretion of the individual faculty, except in the cases of College-authorized absences.

II. College-Authorized Absence for College-Sponsored Activities

a. Absences from classes and, if necessary, from the campus are authorized for students who, as individuals or members of athletic teams or other organized groups, represent the College in college-sponsored activities. Though absences for college-sponsored activities are authorized by the College, faculty and staff leading such activities should make every effort to ensure minimal disruption of student class attendance.

b. Students who will be absent for college-sponsored activities are responsible for communicating these conflicts with their faculty and describing how they will access the material they missed in those class periods.

III. Individual Authorizations for Absence

The AVP/Dean of Students is empowered to authorize absences from classes and, if necessary, from the campus for individual students.

IV. Provisions for Making Up Work

a. Instructors shall provide opportunity to students to make up work missed during College-authorized absences from class without penalty. If College-authorized absences total more than 10% of the course meeting time, it shall be at the discretion of the instructor whether the student may make up the missed work. College-authorized absences shall not relieve students of the responsibility of making up work that has been missed.

b. If a class will not meet at its regularly scheduled time or will have an additional class meeting outside of its regularly scheduled time, faculty should provide an alternative assignment or consideration for students unable to attend due to a College-authorized absence for a college-sponsored activity. In the event that the absence is not due to a college-sponsored activity, faculty should handle possible conflicts at their own discretion.