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Post by Rebecca Brackmann on Mar 16, 2018 20:46:53 GMT
I'm trying to think through something and would love feedback. I have very specific attendance policies, with stringent penalties after a certain number of unexcused absences. I've also had a policy of "you can't pass this class if you miss more than 9 classes for any reason, excused or not." I actually started this as a way to protect good students from themselves--I had a student diagnosed with cancer who tried too hard to come back in my class, to the detriment of his overall GPA.
I have some students now, though, with persistent, chronic illnesses who often have to miss swathes of class. In one case, the student is an English major so I know her well. She's capable of keeping up, yet she always seems to be on the edge of failing because of my policy. I wrote this policy with the assumption (which I now recognize as ableist) that students had to face repercussions for missing class since they had the opportunity to attend. How about the rest of you? Do you have similar hard limits? What do you do with students who have disabilities which make those limits unreasonable? Is there a better way to word this?
Associate Professor of English Lincoln Memorial University KPA Executive Director
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Post by Nancy Jentsch on Mar 23, 2018 20:32:24 GMT
Hi Rebecca, I have exactly the same policy as you do. In the event of dire circumstances I work with a student to make a schedule for completing assignments, etc. which we both agree to and then use that as a "contract" to assure things get done in good order. Take care, Nancy
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Post by jlarson on Sept 14, 2018 15:20:39 GMT
Generally, my rule of thumb is that the ADA overrides these policies. However, at least at my university, it is the student's responsibility to get in contact with the office that handles students with disabilities. They can provide them resources to help them in class, but they also contact me with a list of the student's needs so that they don't have to come up to me in front of everyone and tell me they have a problem and need special accommodation.
If a student genuinely cannot make it to class that often because of a chronic issue, I make an exception for them.
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Post by Rebecca Brackmann on Sept 14, 2018 15:23:04 GMT
Thanks for the feedback. The student did get a written accommodation that attendance penalties could not be applied to her medical absences, so that's how we worked it out. Associate Professor of English Lincoln Memorial University KPA Executive Director
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