Sunday, June 7, 2009

Cold hearted bastard

That would be me.

The university has a rule: If you miss more than four classes (two weeks) you are kicked out of the class. I'm not a fan of using attendance as a marker but it's a university rule and since their education is free I have no problem with it.

Last semester I had almost a dozen students coming to me in tears. For those with five or six absences I did a huge amount of paperwork to get the absences reversed so they could get credit for the class.

This term I gave two freebies. After that if the student hit five they were done. At least four of my students were *shocked* that they were ineligible to take the final. One stopped me in the hall.

Student: Sir, you marked me absent 15% now I can't take the final.
Me: Yes?
Student: Who do I have to get a signature from?
Me: Nobody.
Student: So I can take the final.
Me: No, you went over the college limit.
Student: But sir, I can get a note from _______.
Me: It doesn't matter. I can't change it now if I wanted to. I gave everyone two freebies so you must have missed at least seven classes and you know the rule. Good luck the next time you take the course.

And I walked away.

3 comments:

  1. You just proved your not a welcome mat! just think if 15% absence applied to me in HS or college ... I'm a loser in in UAB (probably must places ...) Neil

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  2. That's awesome! I assume he wouldn't have been able to come close to passing the final anyway, so why would it matter?

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  3. Does this 15% rule apply in the real world as well?

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