WilmU Statement on Attendance
Regular and prompt class attendance is an essential part of the educational experience. Wilmington University expects students to exercise good judgment regarding attendance and absences. All students are expected to attend every scheduled meeting of each class on time. Exceptions may be made for Wilmington University-sponsored or work-related activities, illness, or valid emergencies. Wilmington University will excuse any student who is unable to attend classes, participate in an examination, or fulfill an assignment requirement due to the observance of a religious holiday. Faculty will record attendance in each class.
- Hybrid Course Attendance - A hybrid course meets for in-class and online learning sessions. Students are expected to attend all in-class sessions and to participate in all online sessions as required by the instructor. Failure to do so may be considered an unexcused absence without prior approval by the course instructor.
- Online Course Attendance - Attendance for an online learning course is defined as "logging onto the course" and participating in course assignments and discussions as directed by the instructor. Failure to do so may be considered an unexcused absence without prior approval by the course instructor.
Unexcused Absence - Administrative Drop Policy
Students who are absent for the first two sessions of a course will be administratively dropped (removed) from the course roster. Being administratively dropped from a course may have unintended consequences on a student's financial aid and/or standing with the University. Students will only be dropped from the class or classes in which instructor(s) have indicated that you missed the first two class meetings.
School of Law Attendance Requirements
School of Law Attendance Requirements
Class attendance is required in all courses, as is mandated by our accrediting authorities. Failure to maintain regular attendance may be grounds for exclusion from a course. A student who misses class in a single course more than twice the number of times per week that the course meets in a regular semester will be referred to the Associate Dean for Academics, who may impose the sanction of exclusion from the course. Regardless of the Associate Dean’s decision to impose such sanction, a faculty member retains the discretion, consistent with their individual policy, to factor attendance into a student’s grade. This rule includes all classes, both on-campus or online/virtual sessions. Faculty will record attendance in each class meeting.
|
Regular Semester Hours (Fall and Spring)
|
Summer Term
|
|
Credit Hours
|
Meetings Per Week
|
Meetings Per Week
|
|
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
|
2
|
2 absences
|
4 absences
|
2 absences
|
|
3
|
2 absences
|
4 absences
|
2 absences
|
|
4
|
--
|
4 absences
|
2 absences
|
- Conformity to standards of professional responsibility, civility, and respectful behavior and to any rules published by the instructor concerning student conduct in connection with the course is required in all courses. A student whose behavior in a course does not meet such standards or the published rules for the course may be excluded from the course.
- A faculty member assigning a grade in any course may factor into the student’s grade attendance, class preparation and participation, and conformity with published rules for the course
- by increasing or decreasing by one step what would otherwise be a student’s grade; or
- in a course in which the grade is not otherwise based entirely on an exam, by adjusting a student’s grade according to the professor’s individual published policy.
- To ensure compliance with this policy, a student who misses more than the number of weekly classes in a course will be referred to the Associate Dean for Academics for early alert intervention. A student who misses more than twice the number of weekly classes in a course will again be referred to the Associate Dean for Academics, who will determine the extent to which the student’s absences are for excusable reasons and decide whether the sanction of exclusion is appropriate. A student who is present for less than one-half of a class will be deemed to be absent from that class. A student whose non-attendance has been referred to the Associate Dean for Academics should notify the Associate Dean of any basis for excusable absences. Excusable reasons for an absence include but are not limited to illness, quarantine, injury, religious observances, client meetings or court appearances (for students participating in externship/clinic), job interviews, and taking the MPRE. Documentation may be required for verification of excusable absence.
Illness or Quarantine
Students who are ill or need to quarantine may not attend on-campus class sessions. Students who cannot attend an on-campus class session due to illness or need to isolate/quarantine are to 1) request and review the course recording (contact your professor), or 2) request and attend the class remotely. Students should attend remotely whenever that alternative is feasible. Absences from class because of illness, quarantine, or self-isolation will be excused, and the student will be permitted to make up the work without academic penalty. Documentation may be required for repeated absences due to illness.
Time Conflict
Students may not enroll in courses where class schedules conflict and preclude the possibility of full attendance in all classes. Students engaged in clinics and externships must ensure that their regular clinic or externship schedule does not conflict with regularly scheduled classes.
Cyber Day Classes
A Cyber-Day is when a face-to-face class meeting is moved to an online learning format. Cyber Days ensure that teaching and learning activities continue on-schedule when classes cannot meet face-to-face.
Cyber Days are used when:
- Unforeseen events, such as inclement weather, impact our ability to meet for scheduled face-to-face class sessions, or
- Planned University holidays that fall on individual weekdays are scheduled for make-up face-to-face classes on the School of Law academic calendar.
https://www.wilmu.edu/cyberday/index.aspx