Hannah Fawley ’27
Head Design Editor
When I was deep in the throes of my senior year of high school, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of things on my plate, I remember telling myself that college was going to be different: I would be able to make my own schedule and not adhere to someone else’s. Needless to say, I felt disillusioned when I came to college, and almost every class I took had a stricter attendance policy than my high school.
In some cases, having a strict attendance policy is warranted. As a dance major, attendance is the only thing we get a grade for. For those classes, where the learning chiefly happens in the classroom, being in the classroom should be a requirement. However, this isn’t true for most classes at the 5Cs.
This past fall, I took Intro to Chemistry which followed a flipped classroom model, allowing us to learn all of our content outside of class. Our “homework” was watching pre-recorded lecture videos and class time was dedicated to doing worksheets and activities. Because of the nature of the class, it did not have an attendance policy which was something that I really appreciated.
The students who wanted more practice applying the concepts that made up our graded assignments and exams, could attend class and ask questions. The students who didn’t could choose to reallocate their time amongst their other responsibilities and still have time to learn all of the material outside of class.
Despite this class having a unique structure, many other classes still involve a lot of learning outside of the classroom. I have taken many classes where textbook reading is assigned as homework, and the professor lectures about the most salient topics during class. A student can succeed in the class with just one or the other, so why are both required?
Even being required to attend seminar-based classes sometimes feels overkill, as some require students to write discussion posts and respond to classmates for homework, outside of class. What is the point of going to class if the seminar was essentially already conducted beforehand?
To be clear, I am not arguing that students should not go to class — I am pretty positive I went to every one of my chemistry classes despite the lack of required attendance. I am arguing that students should be able to choose whether or not going to class is, for lack of a better phrase, worth their time. The students who don’t go to class either feel comfortable enough with the material or are willing to risk it, which, I think, is their prerogative.
For many people, college is their first major test of independence. It is often their first time without parents or guardians to hold them accountable and they are able to choose how to spend their time. If they choose not to go to class, never learn the material, and thus do poorly, they will learn to suffer the consequences of their actions. College is where young people learn how to be functional, responsible adults, and an F on their transcript is a pretty powerful lesson.
Additionally, college students have a lot on their plates. Between classes, homework, extracurriculars, and jobs, there is little time for true rest, especially if they want any time to have fun and be social. The stereotype of the sleep-deprived and caffeine-addicted college student didn’t form out of thin air: we are known for spreading ourselves thin and not prioritizing our health.
I believe students should be able to miss class when they are sad, tired, or unmotivated, and sometimes that happens more frequently than professors’ one or two “free” absence policies permit. Also, because “free” absences are limited, taking one can become a source of even more stress. I try to figure out when I can allow myself to take one: I can’t if it is “too early” in the semester or if I don’t have a “good enough” reason. I worry that I will have an emergency later in the semester but won’t have a “free” absence to spare.
Say a student allows themself to prioritize rest, and their “free” absences have been used up. If an emergency then does arise, I’d like to think that professors will be accommodating, but having to worry about attendance and “calling out” of class during an emergency is too much to ask and, frankly, infantilizing at this age and stage in our education.
Both exhaustion and lethargy are legitimate reasons for taking a break and treating them as if they aren’t is harmful. We can’t pretend that functioning through these feelings can be resolved in a mere two days.
Embracing a more flexible attendance policy would eliminate stress without minimizing an incentive to attend and do well in class. Students should be trusted to prioritize their time well and within their limits. Our education is important, but not at the cost of our mental health or love for learning.
