Attendance guidance for students
Class attendance is key to your success
Your success at Augustana is closely tied to your regular attendance in class. Here’s why showing up is crucial and how the attendance policy impacts your academic journey.
Why is attendance important?
- Maximizing learning: Attending class allows you to engage directly with course material, participate in discussions, and benefit from your instructors' expertise. This active participation enhances your understanding and retention of the subject matter.
- Building connections: Regular attendance helps you build relationships with your peers and instructors, creating a support network that can be invaluable throughout your college experience.
- Academic success: Studies show that consistent attendance is closely linked to better grades and overall academic success. Being in class ensures you don’t miss important instructions, deadlines, or opportunities for extra help.
Understanding the attendance policy*
- Absences: You can miss up to 10% of class meetings without penalty, regardless of the reason. This policy treats all absences the same, whether for illness, personal issues, college-sponsored events, or other reasons. Exceptions are made for absences covered by documented academic accommodations or religious holidays. Students who miss class due to a religious holiday are required to notify their instructor in advance that they must miss class in order to observe a religious holiday and must make prior arrangements with the instructor to complete work missed during their absence.
- Mandatory days: Certain "mandatory days" outlined in your course syllabus require your attendance, and missing these may result in a loss of credit without the opportunity for make-up work. Again, academic accommodations must still be allowed even on "mandatory days."
- Consequences and recovery: Missing more than 30% of class meetings puts you at risk of being administratively withdrawn from the course, but your instructor will notify you and try to help you resolve the situation before it gets to that point. If you stay within the 10% allowance, your instructor may let you make up the work or exclude it from your final grade; beyond this limit, it’s much harder to recover lost ground.
Your role in the process
- Stay informed: Make sure you understand the attendance policy outlined in each of your course syllabi. If anything is unclear, ask your instructor during the first week of class.
- Plan ahead: Anticipate any potential absences and communicate them early. If you’re a student-athlete or have other commitments, work with your instructors to manage your schedule effectively.
- Engage fully: Being present in class is not just about showing up; it’s about being engaged and contributing to the learning environment. Your active participation benefits everyone in the classroom.
- Communicate and respond: If you must miss class due to circumstances outside of your control (e.g. illness, personal emergency), you must communicate directly with your instructors as soon as possible. Email is the preferred communication method.
Be sure to read and respond to communication from your instructors, which may come via email, Moodle, and/or Starfish. Finally, if you are absent for five or more consecutive class days, the Dean of Students Office can assist you in verifying documentation regarding your need to be absent from class and your plans to return.
- Absence more than five consecutive days: Contact the Dean of Students Office to discuss your absence and the necessary steps you must follow for a prolonged absence. Email is the preferred communication method. You still need to communicate directly with your instructors as soon as possible regarding your absence.
Final thoughts
Class attendance is more than just a requirement; it’s an essential part of your success at Augustana. By attending classes regularly, you’re investing in your education and setting yourself up for success both academically and professionally. Remember, your instructors are here to support you—don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help managing your attendance.
* The detailed attendance and absence policy can be found here; please pay particular attention to the Excessive Absences policy.
* If you have concerns about the attendance policy in a particular course, discuss your concern with your instructor. If, after that discussion, you still have concerns, you can contact your instructor’s department chair, followed by their Division Dean, and finally the Associate Dean of Academic Strategic Priorities (see Academic Leadership for the names). As always, your academic advisor can help guide you through these discussions.