Students’ academic success is the major priority of the College. Because regular participation enhances the learning process, students are expected to adhere to the attendance policy set forth by the College and individual faculty members. Differences in content and teaching styles exist among courses, which can impact students’ learning. Therefore, students are strongly encouraged to attend all classes to better prepare them for assignments, tests, and other course-related activities. Students are accountable for assignments, announcements, and material covered during an absence. You are expected to attend all classes and take all exams. Students’ responsibility for materials covered is unaffected by absence. Arrival to any class 10 minutes after the scheduled class time is counted as absence; similarly an early departure 10 minutes before the class is over is also counted as an absence.
Students who register for an on-campus class are agreeing that they will attend class on campus at its specified meeting days and times. Students who want to complete all work online and not come to the classroom must register for an online section of the course. They should not register for an on-campus class and treat it like an online class.
Roll verification and attendance for on campus (face-to-face) classes requires a physical signature on a piece of paper in the classroom. One of the main reasons is related to student VISAs for international students and their requirement that they can only take one online class a semester and must be enrolled as a full-time student. All of their other classes must be on campus (face-to-face) classes with actual attendance ( https://isss.gsu.edu/incoming-students/step-1-admissions/sevis-student-exchange-visitor-information-system/ ). Due to this policy, the only way to comply is to perform roll verification and attendance for on campus classes in the classroom.
Faculty have been directed by the Department Chair of Life & Earth Sciences for Perimeter College to meet the above requirements through attendance and/or assignment grades that can only be earned in the classroom for on campus classes. How this is accomplished has been left up to each individual faculty member to identify in the course syllabus.
Dr Hollier will comply with the above policy through an attendance grade and participation in discussions in the classroom. All other assignments will be given in an online setting. Online assignments offer many benefits to students, including, but not limited to: the ability to be given multiple attempts with the highest score being the one that counts; reduced stress environments as the student picks their location, environment, and can play music in the background if desired; reduced distractions than in a classroom; ability to meet ADA requirements for students with disabilities; ability to extend assignments according to the extension policy listed in this syllabus; reduced anxiety for students; more frequent assignments that cover less course material on the assignment.
Attendance after the roll verification period will be determined by attendance sheets in the classroom. Each weeks attendance is worth 1 point. For classes that meet twice a week, that means 0.5 points per class. For classes that meet once per week, that means 1 point per class. Attendance points will be updated in iCollege after the last class that week and will be listed as a weekly attendance total.
Any official request or policy from GSU, the State government, and/or the Federal government for reporting of attendance will be based on when you last signed an attendance sheet in the classroom. If you are ill and do not come to class, you will need to submit an absence authorization request to the Dean of Students ( https://deanofstudents.gsu.edu ; https://deanofstudents.gsu.edu/student-assistance/#professor ) when you are feeling better and/or able to access a computer / mobile device. The Dean of Students online process may require documentation. The number of on campus absences you’re excused for before you must request an absence authorization is listed in the number of assignments dropped part of this syllabus.
If you are ill, don’t come to class. Do not come and infect your classmates or Dr Hollier and make it hard for them to get their work done just because you are ill. Missed classes due to illness, up to the number allowed under the number of on campus absences you’re excused for before you must request an absence authorization, will NOT require an authorization absence from the Dean of Students. These will be dropped at the end of the semester according to the number of assignments dropped section in the syllabus. You will be expected to keep up with the work missed through the materials in iCollege when you are feeling better / capable of doing that. Assignments can be extended according to the extension policy in this syllabus.
All students are expected to log into iCollege frequently (at a minimum of twice per week) and must always check announcements / emails / course materials when they log into the class.
If a student registers late, then any classes that were held prior to when they registered will be considered missed classes. These will count as unexcused missed classes in relation to the attendance policy. Registering late was the student’s choice. Material for the course was covered in the missed class(es) where the student was not present. The student missed that information and thus missed class. Class registration is the student’s responsibility and registering after classes have started is not recommended as they will have missed class material.