1) Regular and punctual class attendance is required of all students in all courses. Faculty members are required to take attendance in all courses. Students must indicate their attendance of each class meeting in the manner prescribed by the professor. If a question later arises as to whether a student attended a particular class, the professor shall make that determination.
In the event that these rules addressing attendance requirements in the Part-time / Hybrid Program conflict with rules for the traditional program, these rules apply.
2) Except as otherwise noted herein, no student may miss more than twenty percent (20%) of the scheduled online modules in any course. Students on academic probation may miss no more than ten percent (10%) of the scheduled online modules in any course. For each course, the number of online modules will be determined based on the academic calendar and will be indicated on the course syllabus. When multiplying the number of scheduled modules by the percentages described above, the resulting number shall be rounded up or down to the nearest whole number.
There is an exception covered below regarding attendance requirements for the following Academic Success courses: Legal Foundations, Advanced Legal Reasoning, Legal Practice Skills, and Solving Legal Problems.
3) Student attendance in online modules is defined as active participation in the course as described in the individual course syllabus. Online courses will, at a minimum, have weekly mechanisms for student participation, which can be documented by any or all of the following methods:
- Completion of tests or quizzes
- Discussion forums
- Submission / completion of assignments
- Video sessions
Instructors have the discretion to specify what level of student participation satisfies attendance requirements as documented by one or more of the methods set forth above. Attendance requirements should be set forth in the course syllabus.
Nothing in this rule shall prohibit a professor from using other methods to document attendance in addition to those listed above or from adopting a more restrictive attendance policy for a particular online course or for a module of a particular course. To the extent a professor adopts such a policy, that policy shall control.
4) In relation to the residential component of hybrid courses, full attendance at each in-person residential component, including first-semester Orientation, is required. If a part-time student is unable to attend a long weekend residential session or any part thereof, the student should contact the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
In regard to the first residential session that is missed, only for good cause shown will the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs consider options, such as allowing make-up work, such that the student may complete courses. If the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs does not find good cause for the student’s absence, the student will be deemed to have failed to comply with the school’s attendance policy and will be administratively withdrawn from courses. Such withdrawal will presumptively result in grades of “AW.” The Associate Dean of Academic Affairs shall have discretion to give different grades, such as “WD” or “X,” based upon the totality of the circumstances.
A student who is required for whatever reason to miss more than one long weekend residential session will be deemed to have failed to comply with the school’s attendance policy and will be administratively withdrawn from courses. Such withdrawal will presumptively result in a grade of “AW.” The Associate Dean of Academic Affairs shall have discretion to give different grades, such as “WD” or “X,” based upon the totality of the circumstances.
In relation to residential instruction for a course in the hybrid program, a student who is tardy or who exits class early may, at the discretion of the professor, be marked as absent for the entire class. The Associate Dean of Academic Affairs will make the determination as to whether a student will be counted in attendance for the residential session when the student, due to unforeseen reasons, partially misses segments of instruction during the residential component.
5) It is recognized in section 2 above that a professor may adopt “a more restrictive attendance policy for a particular online course or for a module of a particular course.” Otherwise, the attendance requirement is not subject to modification by a professor; nor may a professor “excuse” an absence. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may grant leave and relief from the attendance requirements in extraordinary circumstances, such as (1) representing the law school at a co-curricular interscholastic competition, conference, or function (i.e., Moot Court, Mock Trial, or Law Review) or official bar function, (2) jury duty, (3) religious observances, (4) the birth of a child, (5) the death of an immediate family member (to include grandparents), or (6) major non-elective surgery or a prolonged hospital stay. Students must provide proof of the reason for the absence.
6) Students must keep track of their absences. Students should not expect the School of Law to warn them when their absences are close to exceeding that which is allowed. Any such warning that might be given is gratuitous by a specific professor, advisor, or dean, and shall not be construed as creating an obligation on the part of the School of Law to provide a warning to any student.
7) The sections above set forth consequences for students who fail to comply with the attendance policy although there is an exception for students in the following academic success courses: Legal Foundations, Advanced Legal Reasoning, Legal Practice Skills, and Solving Legal Problems. Students who fail to comply with the attendance requirements in one of these academic success courses shall remain enrolled in the course, receive a presumptive grade of “F,” and be required to complete the next academic success course in the curriculum. However, at the instructor’s discretion, a student may be given the option to complete additional assignments to raise the student’s grade to no higher than a grade of “D.” To enable students to satisfy all graduation requirements while providing them with appropriate academic support, a student who receives a grade of “F” in a required academic success course may be permitted to complete a different academic success course instead of repeating the course, at the discretion of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
8) The School of Law reserves the right to require students to attend workshops, presentations, or meetings, as deemed necessary by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs of the School of Law, to facilitate the legal education of each of its students. The School of Law will provide as much notice as possible to students of the scheduling of such events that require student attendance. Failure to attend such events without prior approval or subsequent waiver from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs could result in sanctions. Unless scheduled during a residential component of a course, these offerings will be made available to students in the Part-time / Hybrid program on an asynchronous or flexible basis.
9) Students must attend a minimum of four (4) designated “Professionalism Series” presentations prior to graduation, with attendance at a minimum of one each fall and spring term in which the student is enrolled at the School of Law, until the student has attended four (4) designated presentations. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may grant leave and relief from the attendance requirements in extraordinary circumstances. At least two such presentations will be made available to students in the Part-Time / Hybrid program per semester. Unless schedule during a residential component of a course, these offerings will be made available to students in the Part-Time / Hybrid program on an asynchronous basis.
10) Students must also attend a minimum of four (4) designated “Professional Identity” group meetings prior to graduation, with attendance at a minimum of one each fall and spring term their second and third years in which the student is enrolled at the School of Law. Each student will be assigned a particular group their second and third years and will be given details as to the group’s assigned topic for each group meeting. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may grant leave and relief from the attendance requirements in extraordinary circumstances.