Sample #1: Set # of Absences without Penalty
This is a conversation class, which means a major part of the work of the class comes from our discussions. The texts are not the class! Attendance at all sessions is important. You may miss up to three sessions for any reason with no penalty. Beyond these three, each absence will lower your grade by three points unless we have come to an agreement in advance (regarding medical concerns, for example). You’ll be responsible for making up missed work and material for any missed class by [insert appropriate make up work: liaising with your peers, submitting a brief reflection on the course topic, reviewing the class recording and submitting a relevant question, etc.]. (UMass Amherst)
Sample #2: Excused vs Unexcused Absences
Attendance: Being present in class is essential to your own growth as a writer as well as your peers’ learning and growth; that is, this is a studio style class in which you will learn through discussion, in-class writing activities, reading and talking about others’ writing, and through developing how you talk about how writing works. Throughout the semester, I will track excused and unexcused absences. An excused absence is any legitimate reason for which you have to miss class that is communicated to me in a timely manner (sickness, emergencies, mental health, etc.). In fact, if you are sick, please stay home to protect your classmates and care for yourself. Unexcused absences will affect your grade. For every two unexcused absences (a week of class), you will lose 3 points (a +/-) on your final grade. Regardless of whether an absence is excused or unexcused, you will be responsible for making up any missed work. It is possible to negotiate extra work to eliminate unexcused absences, but such negotiations are made on a case-by-case basis and require a conference. If you miss an extensive amount of class (over two weeks or four classes), even if for reasonable and excused reasons, you will be expected to meet with me to negotiate how you can make up the missed work and participation in class; even though extended absences may be for legitimate reasons, given the collaborative nature of the class, it is likely to negatively affect your grade. (Cornell’s John S. Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines)
Sample #3: No Consequences for Absences
Your presence in class is irreplaceable and supports your learning and that of your peers. I hope to see you at every session. I also recognize that you are adults learning to prioritize your time and respect your agency in your learning. While there are no immediate consequences for missing class, you are responsible for catching up on material you missed by getting notes from a peer and/or reviewing the lecture capture. If I notice that you’re absent frequently or suddenly, I will send an email checking in to see how you are doing. If I don’t hear back from you, I’ll let the Student Outreach and Support team know, so that you have access to additional support in the case that you need it.