Class Attendance Regulations
The faculty and administration expect students to attend class regularly and to develop effective study habits. University policy dictates that students must attend a minimum of 80% of class meetings for each class in which they are enrolled. Successful students may not accrue absences in excess of three times the number of class meetings per week in the regular day semester, or a total of three absences in six- or eight-week terms. Each individual faculty member will establish reasonable consequences for absences and publish these in the course syllabus. When a student misses more than the allowed absences for any class the professor is empowered to assign a grade of “F.” No student may be penalized for work missed due to required attendance at a school sanctioned function. However, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor, generally in advance of attendance at such an event, and to arrange to complete any makeup work in a timely manner. It is the individual professor’s right to set terms and deadlines for makeup work.
Due to the specialized nature of some program requirements (e.g., laboratories, practica, internships, clinicals), programs may of necessity deviate from this policy by establishing more stringent guidelines.
Class Attendance Regulations for Online Courses
Some classes at UT Southern may be taught online or on Teams in addition to face-to-face. Classes taught via Teams may be taught at the assigned day and time or in some cases recorded and listened to at the student’s convenience. Students must check schedules. The schedule indicates whether the class is synchronous or not. If synchronous, students must log on to Teams at the appropriate class times. Students must follow the course syllabi in all cases and contact course instructors or the Director of Distance Learning if they have questions. It is the policy of the University that students will demonstrate attendance in an online course by completing their work in a timely manner and participating in a substantive way in course content. To this end, students will be required to:
- Complete the brief, online orientation before beginning with class;
- Check the course site at least once a week;
- Communicate with classmates and the instructor periodically; and
- Complete work periodically.
As with any course, a student cannot miss several weeks of online classes and expect to be successful in the course. There may be deadlines for assignments, and there may be requirements for students to log-in at particular times to participate in group discussions or other activities. Students should consult each course syllabus for specific requirements.
Students who fail to log into their online course within the first seven calendar days from the start of the sixteen-week session/term or the first day of an eight- or six-week session/term will automatically be withdrawn from the class. Logging into an online class without active participation, such as (but not limited to) completing an assignment, does not constitute attendance in the course and is considered as a student never attending class and will be treated as such. Students should notify their professors and Director of Distance Learning immediately if they have trouble logging on to their online classes. If a student chooses to withdraw from an online class, they may contact the Director of Academic Advising or the Registrar’s Office. The withdrawal will be effective from the date of the email notification. A Drop/Add Form will be emailed to the student who should complete the form and return it by mail, fax, or scanned and emailed. Failure to withdraw will result in a grade of “F” in a course.
Class Attendance During Inclement Weather
It is University policy for the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Life, and Chancellor to determine if classes will be canceled due to existing or predicted weather conditions. Students will receive a text message and an email alerting them of the cancellation of classes. The cancellation will be posted on the University's website as soon as this decision is made. Local radio stations, 3PTV, and Nashville and Huntsville television stations will be notified of the cancellation. Because weather conditions sometimes vary widely within the surrounding area, students are advised to use their own discretion in attempting to attend classes during inclement weather. Students are advised to contact their instructors about such absences, but normally will not be penalized if they are unable to get to campus during adverse weather conditions.
Since online courses generally are not affected by inclement weather, assignment due dates and times will remain fixed throughout the semester and will not be rescheduled due to weather. Students should contact the instructor by phone, on Teams, or email if weather becomes a concern.