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Handbook of Operating Procedures
Chapter 5 - Students
Publication Date: April 6, 2017
Policy Reviewed Date: August 16, 2021
Policy Owner: VP for Academic Affairs

5.09 Class Attendance and Participation

This is not the current policy. For the latest, click here.




I. POLICY STATEMENT

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is committed to promoting student success by communicating the expectation of regular attendance and participation in classes.

II. RATIONALE


This policy serves as a guide that instructors and students should use to appropriately address student absence from class. It identifies steps that may be taken by instructors when absences or missed assignments are unexcused, and the circumstances and steps for students and instructors to take when absences or missed assignments are officially permitted.  


III. SCOPE


The policy applies to all UTSA instructors assigned to teach classes and to all students registered in classes at UTSA.


IV. WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR THIS POLICY


http://www.utsa.edu/hop/chapter5/5-9.html


V. RELATED STATUTES, POLICIES, REQUIREMENTS OR STANDARDS


UTSA or UT System Policies or the Board of Regents Rules & Regulations

A. Information Bulletin (Academic and Grade Grievance Procedure)
B. Information Bulletin (Instructor-initiated Drops) (to be added)
C. UTSA Graduate Catalog (Academic and Grade Grievance Procedure)

Other Policies & Standards

D. Texas Education Code Title 3: Higher Education, Subtitle A. Chapter 51, Subchapter Z Miscellaneous Provisions, Section 51.911 Religious Holy Days
E. Texas Education Code Title 3: Higher Education, Subtitle A, Chapter 54 Tuition and Fees, Section 54.006 Refund or Adjustment of Tuition and Mandatory Fees for Dropped Courses and Student Withdrawals
F. Texas Education Code Title 3: Higher Education, Subtitle A., Chapter 51, Subchapter Z Miscellaneous Provisions, Section 51.9111 Excused Absence for Active Military Service.
G. Texas Administrative Code, Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter A, Rule 4.4 Student Absences on Religious Holy Days.
H. Texas Administrative Code, Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter A, Rule 4.8 Excused Absence for a Person Called to Active Military Service.


VI. CONTACTS


If you have any questions about HOP policy 5.09, Class Attendance, contact the following office:

Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (Provost)
210-458-4110


VII. DEFINITIONS


Active military service is active service in the armed forces of the United States or in the Texas National Guard or the Texas State Guard.

Class attendance is the physical presence and participation in all scheduled class meetings and assignments by the registered student for face-to-face classes. For distance education classes, class attendance is also the physical presence and participation in all scheduled class meetings at the remote site by the registered student.

Online courses at UTSA will be delivered within the university’s learning management system. Class attendance in both face-to-face and online classes is defined as active participation in the class with participation being defined by the various engagement activities listed in the syllabus for the course. The minimum expectation is that a registered student will demonstrate some activity in his or her online class at least once weekly. Instructors of online classes must provide at least one engagement activity each week. Engagement activities in a class may encompass the following elements:

• Completion of assessments
• Participation in discussion forums
• Submission and completion of assignments
• Communication with the instructor

A student must demonstrate that he/she has actively participated in the engagement activities in a timely manner as defined in the syllabus. Merely logging into the learning management system does not constitute active participation. There must be measurable activity in place to constitute attendance.

For hybrid classes, class attendance is the physical presence and participation in all face-to-face meetings of the class and active participation in the online portion of the class.

Faculty or University employee in charge of an official University function is the person who sponsors or organizes an official University function.

An instructor is the instructor of record (the person formally assigned by the department chair or other appropriate supervisor in the university records) to teach a course, or a teaching assistant under the supervision of an instructor of record.

An official University function is an activity or event sanctioned by the University such as intercollegiate athletic competitions, music tours and other similar approved events.

A scheduled class is a class that is assigned to meet physically on a specific day or days, at a specific time and location.

A registered student is a student enrolled in a course on the official census date who has not officially dropped the course.

A religious holy day is a day observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under the Texas Tax Code, §11.20.

A school day is a day during which classes are scheduled at UTSA, without regard to the frequency or schedule that a specific class meets.

An instructor-initiated drop is a drop by the instructor based on excessive student absences or missed assignments that are specified in the instructor’s course syllabus.


VIII. RESPONSIBILITIES


A. Student             

1. Unless otherwise stated in the instructor’s syllabus, or unless an absence is excused in accordance with this policy, should attend and participate in all scheduled class meetings.
2. Notifies each instructor prior to the absence (directly in writing, not later than the 15th day after the first day of the semester, and before the absence takes place) of the planned absence for a religious holy day on which an examination or assignment has been scheduled.
3. Provides a copy of the military orders to each instructor when class is to be missed due to military service.
4. Notifies each instructor of participation in an official University function when class is to be missed due to participation.
5. Notifies instructors directly of absence due to illness or other extenuating circumstances.
6. Fulfills missed assignments by instructor-designated deadlines.
7. Drops a class no longer attending by appropriate deadline.
8. If a dispute arises, follows formal appeals process stated in Section IX.H below.

B. Instructor        

1. Communicates student class attendance and participation requirements in the syllabus.
2. Allows the student who has been excused to take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that day within a reasonable time, normally within 20 school days.
3. Excuses from attending classes or participating in other required activities the student who is absent for a reasonably brief time period due to active military service (not to exceed 25% of the total number of class meetings or the contact hour equivalent excluding the final examination period) for the specific course or courses.
4. Sets a reasonable deadline and conditions for taking an examination or making up missed assignments due during excused absences due to an active duty military assignment. If the military absence is extensive, the deadline may extend up to the due date for course grades for the same semester one year later - the time permitted to clear a grade of ‘IN’ (Incomplete), as described in the catalogs.
5. If the faculty member will allow missed work to be made up (see below), informs the student of the deadline for making up missed assignments or taking an examination.
6. If the faculty member uses instructor-initiated drop, informs students of the policy in the syllabus and maintains accurate attendance records.
7. A faculty member preparing to utilize instructor-initiated drop informs the student that a drop is imminent given that she/he is approaching the limit of unexcused absences or missed assignments. This notification to the student will be made utilizing the university-approved mechanism for this purpose.
8. If a dispute arises, follows formal appeals process stated in Section IX.H below.

C. Faculty or University Employee in Charge of an Official University Function    

1. Files a list with the Office of the Provost identifying participating students and dates requested for excused absences from class.

D. Registrar    

1. Notifies student that they have been dropped from a course by their instructor for exceeding the unexcused absence limits.
2. Provides reports of instructor-initiated drops to appropriate university offices as outlined in the Department Office Instructor-Initiated Drop Information Report (maintained in the Office of the Registrar) and to any office requiring this information. 

E. Department Chair and Other Administrative Official

1. Follows formal appeals process stated in Section IX.H below if the student has filed a proper appeal of the dispute.
2. Once the student’s appeal of an instructor-initiated drop is concluded, notifies the instructor and the student of the outcome so that any necessary Blackboard access changes can be made with OIT/BB.

F. College Dean

1. Follows formal appeals process stated in Section IX.H below if the student has filed a proper appeal to the college dean.

G. Vice Provost and Dean of University College (undergraduate appeals) / Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (graduate appeals)

1. Follows formal appeals process stated in Section IX.H below if the student has filed a proper appeal to the Vice Provost and Dean of University College for undergraduate appeals, or to the Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School for graduate appeals.


IX. PROCEDURES


A. Class Attendance

    1. It is the instructor’s responsibility to set forth and communicate the attendance and participation requirements to students in the course syllabus. Unless otherwise stated in the instructor’s course attendance policy or an absence is excused in accordance with this policy, regular attendance at and participation in all meetings of a course for which a student is registered is strongly encouraged.
    2. A student who enrolls for a course and then does not attend is considered absent from class until he/she officially drops the course. A student who does not attend a course is responsible for dropping the class by the appropriate deadline. Such a student who does not drop the course will receive a grade of “F” in the class.
    3. An instructor may drop a student from a course using instructor-initiated drop if attendance and/or participation requirements have not been adhered to and the student has previously been warned in accordance with this policy.   

B. Requests for Excused Absences

    1. A student who receives an excused absence shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that day within a reasonable time (normally within 20 school days) after the absence if, before the absence takes place and not later than the 15th school day after the first day of the semester, the student notifies the instructor of each class the student had scheduled on that date that the student would be absent for a religious holy day, an official university function, or military service. Travel time to and from the event or function may be included in the request.
    2. Notification of planned absences must be made in writing and must be delivered by the student electronically or in a face-to-face meeting to the instructor of each class. Notification must take place before the absence.
    3. The student is responsible for fulfilling any course requirements that occur during the time he or she is absent from class.
    4. Each instructor should inform the student, at the time the student notifies the instructor of a planned absence, of the deadline for completion of the missed assignment or examination. If the absence occurs during final examinations the student may receive a grade of ‘IN’ for up to a year, until the exam is taken, per “General Academic Regulations” found in the Information Bulletin and UTSA Graduate Catalog.
    5. An instructor may impose appropriate academic penalties if the student fails to satisfactorily complete the assignment or examination within a reasonable time (normally 20 school days) after the absence.

C. Student Absences for Official University Functions

    1. A student will be excused without penalty from class to participate in an Official University Function.  The student is responsible for fulfilling any course requirements that occur during the time he/she is absent from class.
    2. Faculty or the University employee in charge of such functions will file a list of students and the dates they request the students to be excused from class with the Office of the Provost. Deans, department chairs and faculty may check any names against the list by contacting the Office of the Provost.

D. Student Absences Due to Military Service

    1. A student who is absent from classes for a reasonably brief duration due to active military service and chooses not to withdraw from the University as allowed by Section 54.006 (f) of the Texas Education Code, will be excused from attending classes or participating in other required activities in accordance with Section 51.9111 of the Texas Education Code.
    2. As defined by the Texas Administrative Code, Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter A, Rule 4.9 (d), “the maximum period for which a student may be excused shall be no more than 25% (twenty-five percent) of the total number of class meetings or the contact hour equivalent (not including the final examination period) for the specific course or courses in which the student is currently enrolled at the beginning of the period of active military service.”
    3. The student must provide a copy of his or her military orders to each instructor.
    4. If the active duty military service is lengthy, the deadline may extend up to the due date for course grades for the same semester one year later - the time permitted to clear a grade of ‘IN.’

E. Student Absences for Observance of a Religious Holy Day

    1. In accordance with Section 51.911 of the Texas Education Code, a student who is absent from class for the observance of a religious holy day, including travel for that purpose, shall be excused for the absence without penalty.

F. Reporting Illness or Other Extenuating Circumstances

    1. If a student is absent from classes due to illness or other extenuating circumstances (e.g. funeral), the student is responsible for notifying his or her instructors directly in advance or as soon as possible thereafter and providing reasonable documentation.
    2. The degree to which classroom participation is required and whether or not work missed by a student during an absence may be made up is at the discretion of the instructor. See Section A.1 for additional information.
    3. The instructor should adjust attendance/make-up policies in the event the University of Texas System and/or University issues guidelines to cover extraordinary events (e.g. dangerous conditions due to weather or a widespread threat to general health).

G. Instructor-initiated Drops

    1. When a student exceeds the absence or missed assignment limit for the class described and specified in the course syllabus, an instructor may drop the student from the course provided the instructor has included the policy information on the syllabus and has kept accurate attendance/missed assignment records.
    2. A faculty member utilizing instructor-initiated drops first informs the student that she/he is in danger of being dropped because they are approaching the unexcused absence or number of missed assignments limit. This prior notification will be made utilizing the university-approved mechanism for such notice.
    3. The instructor uses a university-approved mechanism to drop students who have exceeded absences or number of missed assignments and specified in the course syllabus.
    4. An affected student will be notified via a university-approved mechanism that they have been dropped from the course.
    5. Instructor-initiated drops may occur until the last day that a student may drop themselves.

H. Disputes may be resolved using the following appeals process:

1. Disputes regarding the denial of a request for excused absences.

a. When a student’s request for excused absences is denied by the instructor, the student may submit a written appeal of the instructor’s decision in the order described in Subsection (b) below.  During the appeal process an instructor will insure that the student has access to class materials, including Blackboard. At each administrative level, the person determining whether to make a change in the instructor’s decision regarding a request for excused absences must

i. Review the appeal;
ii. Determine, based on evidence, and
iii. If compelling evidence exists, approve the student’s request for excused absences.

b. The following is the order of administrative level to which a student must submit an appeal of the decision of the instructor not to approve a request for excused absences. If the student’s request is denied at one administrative level, the student may submit the appeal to the next administrative level:

i. Department chair (or unit director) of the department (or unit) in which the course is offered.
ii. Dean of the college of the department or unit in which the course is offered.
iii. Vice Provost and Dean of University College (for undergraduate students) or Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School (for graduate students). The decision of the Vice Provost and Dean of University College or Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School is final.

2. Disputes regarding instructor-initiated drops. 

a. Students wishing to appeal an instructor-initiated drop must submit a completed Course Reinstatement Petition to the Designated Administrative Official as specified on the Registrar’s website within 3 business days after they have been notified officially that they have been dropped.  In turn, the administration must respond to students within 3 business days from the date of the appeal request.

 

X. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION


None


XI. FORMS AND TOOLS/ONLINE PROCESSES


Excused Absence from Class Attendance Form


XII. APPENDIX


None