Attendance Policy

Absences are allowed as follows: Under emergency circumstances, a student may be allowed up to one day of absence from a one week intensive, up to two weeks of absence for an eight week class, and up to four weeks of absence for a 16 week class. Absence beyond this point constitutes failure to complete the course. Students need to contact the faculty member regarding make up work.

If a student exceeds the allowed absences and does not contact the Office of Student Services to withdraw officially before the last class session, the instructor is directed to issue the grade of “F”.

Students who must miss a course due to unavoidable circumstances must arrange for a temporary leave of absence with the Office of Student Services prior to the beginning of the course. Students needing to withdraw while in a course may do so by arrangement with the Office of Student Services prior to the end of the course, but the regular refund and academic withdrawal policies apply.

Faculty members reserve the right to factor lateness, early departures, and class attendance into a student’s grade, as long as it is addressed in the syllabus.

Online attendance is determined by activity during a workshop, either through discussions or submission of assignments. A student is reported absent for a workshop if there is not at least one submission (or posting) of an assignment or in a discussion forum assigned during the designated dates for that workshop.

For onsite and residential classes, students are expected to be present when class begins, and remain the entire session. To be counted present, a student must attend a total of three hours or more of a class that is four hours in length, four-and-a-half hours or more of classes that are six hours in length, and six hours for classes that are eight hours in length. Tardiness is recorded, and if a student accumulates two tardies during a course, it results in an absence on the student’s attendance record.