Attendance Policy

Student and Faculty Attendance Policies

Undergraduate Student Attendance

Students are expected to attend classes and are expected to arrive on time. Instructors will specify their policy in the course syllabus. Daily records of student attendance are kept at the discretion of the individual instructor. However, enrollment in a course carries with it an implied, mutual agreement between instructor and student: both agree to come to class prepared and to be active participants in the teaching-learning process. Thus, penalties for student absences or tardiness will also be at the discretion of the individual instructor. Moreover, if excessive absence or tardiness does occur, responsibility for an explanation rests with the individual student. The instructor is not obligated to grant requests for make-up or supplementary work regardless of the reason for the absence or tardiness. Therefore, students should know the individual instructor's policy on attendance at the beginning of the course.

Lesley University Student Health Services does not provide students with routine "sick notes" for brief absences from class due to illness or fatigue.

In the event of an anticipated absence of one week or longer, or in the unusual case of a communicable disease which necessitates class absence for public health issues, Student Health Services will notify the Director of Academic Advising. The Director will notify the student's professors and faculty advisor of the absence. If written documentation is required to complete this process, the Student Health Service may provide that to the student upon return to classes.

Graduate Student Attendance

In order to maintain the academic integrity of Lesley programs and to meet course-learning objectives for all class members, students are expected to attend and to participate fully in all class meetings. In exceptional circumstances when students need to be absent from class, they should discuss with the faculty member, in advance, any portion of a class meeting they cannot attend. 

Faculty members reserve the right, in consultation with their academic program directors, to set specific attendance requirements for their courses, which may include no absences. This applies to all models of delivery including institutes, residencies, workshops, etc. Faculty members establish expectations as part of their syllabus regarding family or medical emergency and “milestone” circumstances that may necessitate student absence from class. Absence from class diminishes the learning community and may have an adverse effect on a student’s grade.

In setting their attendance requirements, faculty members will be guided by the following standards:

Weekly Model: If a student is absent for more than six (6) hours of class time, the academic consequences will be determined according to the policies of the academic program in which the student is enrolled. Missing more than nine (9) hours of weekly class meetings will result in a grade of administrative withdrawal (AW) on the student’s transcript. The student will then need to retake the class and repay tuition.

Weekend Model:When missing any class time up to the equivalent of one full day over the two weekends, students are responsible for contacting the faculty member in advance (or as soon as possible afterwards) to discuss the nature of the family or medical emergency or “milestone” circumstance. The faculty member will determine whether the course attendance expectations will permit makeup work and/or whether there may be an adverse effect on the final grade.

Missing more than the equivalent of one full day over the two weekends will result in a grade of administrative withdrawal (AW) on the student’s transcript. The student will then need to retake the class and repay tuition.

Serious family or medical emergency and significant “milestone” circumstances may warrant exception to these requirements and will be considered on a case-by-case basis, in consultation with the appropriate academic unit personnel.

The faculty member has full discretion regarding students making up assignments missed, including those completed in and out of class, as well as specific course content (i.e., videos, reflections, discussion, readings, etc.).

Field Programs: Students attending field programs that are delivered as integrated curriculums occurring all day and most evenings may not miss more than 10% of their programs. For instance, if the program is seventy days they may miss seven days. Missing more than the equivalent of ten percent of the semester will result in a grade of administrative withdrawal (AW) on the student’s transcript. The student will then need to retake the semester and repay tuition.

Serious family or medical emergency and significant “milestone” circumstances may warrant exception to these requirements and will be considered on a case-by-case basis, in consultation with the appropriate academic unit personnel.

The faculty member has full discretion regarding students making up assignments missed, including those completed in and out of class, as well as specific course content (i.e., videos, reflections, discussion, readings, etc.).

Faculty Class Attendance 

The instructor must be present for all contact hours. Any absences, for either personal or weather-dependent reasons, must be discussed with the Program Director as soon as possible. An attempt will be made to find a replacement instructor in order not to disrupt the scheduled class. Faculty who teach three-credit courses off-campus are required to be present with students enrolled in the course for all contact hours. The contact hours are hours in which the faculty and students interact in the classroom and should not be confused with the additional non-contact hours (reading, projects, research, etc.) required of graduate students to meet class objectives. Non-adherence to the policy will result in employment review.

At some sites, it may be impossible to make travel arrangements after 5:00 p.m. for return flights. In such cases, Sunday overnight stays are necessary. Before agreeing to teach in the weekend format, faculty should clearly understand this obligation. Any questions regarding this commitment should be discussed with the Program Director. In the case of a personal emergency, the instructor should contact the Program Director to make necessary arrangements.