One more time: The student received a syllabus when he added. All students receive a syllabus. They are responsible for reading it. Yes, I do go over it during the first meeting but that still doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone is actually paying attention. For all I know, they could be daydreaming. I can’t control that.
Even the ones who were there the first day and heard it all have the tendency to ignore or forget it after a while. I can’t tell you the number of times that a student has said, “When do we have this writing?” or “when is that essay due?” or “When is spring break?” or “when is the final?”
I respond, “It’s in your syllabus.”
They reply, “Oh.”
As I said, I can’t control whether they read it, lose it, ignore it, eat it or wipe their ass with it.
Ultimately,
it is incumbent on all the students to read the syllabus and keep it on hand for reference. If they lose it, I will give them another copy upon request. Hell, I’ll even run upstairs to the copier and copy my own syllabus if I run out of extras.
I can legally enforce any policy as long as it is clearly stated in the syllabus, which it is,on the first page.
I am not sure where anyone got the idea that attendance isn’t required in certain divisions. That may be the case at some schools, but it is not the case at this one. This is a state-funded community college. ALL instructors are required to take attendance and turn in their roll and attendance sheets at the end of the semester when they are also turning in their grades. They would be remiss in their duties if they did not take attendance, especially before the drop date (March 25, in our case).
Attendance, and who’s added into or dropped from a class, is something which the admin. office checks very carefully. That’s why we have to keep track of it. The state wants it that way.
As for my “inflexibility”…
Over the past fourteen years, I have made many accommodations for students who have had to miss class for legitimate reasons, like students with severe medical issues involving themselves and their families, and an elderly student who was hospitalized for a time. I also have a student who wishes to take her final early because she has to leave the country during finals week. I am much more understanding about these things than a number of my colleagues, who are absolutely unyielding.
But no way will I accommodate a guy who thinks he has the right to alter policy just because it doesn’t suit his schedule. I have never seen anyone like this before. As ruber points out, he is an exception (thank goodness). I have never filed reports on any student unless there was a clear and proven case of plagiarism. This fellow is beyond the pale.
If I’m being an ass, he can certainly go to my dept. head or dean and complain. He can file a grievance and get due process. He’ll get all the consideration he deserves.