Course Commitment and Attendance Policy

Preamble

Attendance and active participation in courses are key factors for academic success. 
Students who do not attend their classes and who do not complete their assignments in a timely manner are less likely to successfully complete their courses.

Policy

At the discretion of the academic department, students who do not attend the first scheduled week of classes and who have not made prior arrangements with their instructor may be subject to administrative withdrawal.

At the discretion of the faculty, students who miss more than 50% of their class meetings and/or who do not actively participate in their enrolled classes during the first four weeks of the fall or spring semesters may be subject to administrative withdrawal from their courses. Students may be administratively withdrawn regardless of their class level or standing.

• Courses in which the Attendance and Course Commitment Policy applies are approved by the academic department and applies to all sections. Courses on the approved list will remain in approved status until otherwise repealed by the academic department.  The Office of the Registrar will maintain and publish a list of courses that have been approved to enforce the Attendance and Course Commitment Policy.

• In courses in which this policy applies, notice of the Attendance and Course Commitment Policy, including a definition of active participation, must be included in the course syllabus.  Students must be informed that administrative withdrawal may have an impact on their financial aid awards and/or student visa status.

• Faculty teaching courses in which this policy applies are encouraged to take attendance.  To accommodate large lecture classes and courses taught through distance learning, submission of course assignments can be used to document attendance and participation.  If faculty members choose to use course work submissions as the primary means of documenting attendance and active participation, a statement must be included in the course syllabus.  If attendance is not taken and a student is subsequently withdrawn for not submitting any assignments, the due date of the first assignment will be the last date of attendance.

• The instructor who initiates an administrative withdrawal may rescind it within one week of the original request.

• Students who are administratively withdrawn from their courses after any refund period will not be eligible for a tuition refund.

• Administrative withdrawal requests will be processed only during the periods listed below:
  • first week of the fall and spring semesters
  • after the last scheduled class of the fourth week through the end of the fifth week of the fall and spring semesters

• Academic units may establish an attendance policy that is more restrictive than outlined in this policy, but administrative withdrawal will occur only during the enforcement periods.
• This policy will go into effect fall 2012.

Suggested Syllabus Language (see notes below)

IU Northwest Attendance and Course Commitment Policy

This course has been approved to enforce the IU Northwest Attendance and Course Commitment Policy and the full text of this policy is available at <<TBD>>

As a student in this course, you are expected to attend scheduled class meetings and actively participate in all class activities.  Students who miss the first week of the semester or who do not attend 50% of the scheduled class meetings before the end of the fourth week of the semester may be subject to administrative withdrawal.  Regardless of attendance, students who do not actively participate in this class by not submitting a majority of their assignments by the posted due date are subject to administrative withdrawal.  Students who are administratively withdrawn from this class after the fourth week will not be eligible for a tuition refund.  Administrative withdrawals may have an impact on the student’s financial aid awards and visa status.

Suggested Syllabus Language Notes

Faculty are encouraged to define active participation for their classes and may edit the syllabus language to address these expectations.  Per the Attendance and Course Commitment Policy, students must be informed that this policy is in effect and subsequent administrative withdrawals may have an impact on financial awards and student visa statuses.

The following courses have been approved to invoke the Attendance and Course Commitment Policy: