Opinion: New absence policy Ineffective, inconvenient

Attempt at increased attendance creates extra problems

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The new absence policy this semester is ineffective and overall creates more problems for students than it solves.

The absence policy put in place states students will be marked unexcused absent after five minutes, compared to 10 minutes last semester.

The idea of the new absence policy encouraging students to go to class seems very flawed, as a student more than five minutes late would not bother coming to class because they’re already marked absent. This seemingly goes against the motive of raising attendance.

The former 10 minute policy gave students running late enough time to make it to class, escaping with a mere tardy within that time frame.

According to Attendance Works, students with high attendance in school have higher academic prospects and are more likely to graduate than students who don’t.

While the motivation behind the new absence rule aligns with that ideology, there is really no positive incentive for students to attend class, only stricter consequences.

In a study by the Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 84 percent of students in the study claimed they would attend class if they received attendance points. Instead of cracking down on late students, a more positive points system could be implemented to encourage attendance instead of trying to force it.

Additionally, students with 10 or more unexcused absences are required to make that time up through community service, which is an excessive punishment for someone who is a couple minutes late to class every once in awhile.

Being five minutes late to class should not warrant the same treatment given to a student who doesn’t even show up.

The methods of marking attendance also conflict with the attendance policy at times. Some teachers don’t mark attendance until the end of class or when students have work time, while others mark absences within the first few minutes of class.

This creates variability with the absence policy, as some chronically late students would never be marked absent because of their teachers’ attendance methods. In order for the new policy to be more effective, faculty would have to be consistent with carrying out the rule.

Other methods could be used to better keep students in class while reverting to the former 10 minute policy. Chronically absent students should be addressed in a one-on-one conversation by faculty members. This would directly address the problem instead of inconveniencing every student with the hope of fixing a problem not relevant to everyone.

Having points associated with attendance could also help struggling students to improve their grades by presenting an easy way to earn points — while also achieving the primary goal of getting students in class.

Alternatively, periodic aforementioned quizzes could be given to test students’ knowledge of the class material, regardless of attendance.

This would be a clear indicator to students themselves if their learning style requires them to be in class every day, rather than having that determination be made as a blanket rule over all students.

While the consideration behind the new absence policy may be honorable, it does not accomplish its goal and only harms students.