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- 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.
- No student may miss more than twenty percent (20%) of the scheduled class meetings in any course. Students enrolled in their first semester of study may miss no more than fifteen percent (15%) of the scheduled class meetings in any course. Students on academic probation may miss no more than ten percent (10%) of the scheduled class meetings in any course. “Scheduled class meetings” is defined as the total number of classes that are established for a particular course, pursuant to the school calendar, with such number remaining the same regardless of any modifications that might arise during the semester (e.g., cancellations because of inclement weather). When multiplying the number of scheduled class meetings by the percentages described above, the resulting number shall be rounded up or down to the nearest whole number.
- Nothing in this rule shall prohibit a professor from adopting a more restrictive attendance policy for a particular course. To the extent a professor adopts such a policy, that policy shall control. 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 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.
- 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.
- Students who fail to comply with the attendance requirements in any course shall be immediately administratively withdrawn from the course, and a grade of “AW” shall be given, except 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.
- The School of Law reserves the right to require students to attend workshops, presentations, or meetings, as deemed necessary by the administration 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Orientation Attendance Policy. Orientation at LMU Law contains substantive information that incoming students need when they begin law school and is different than undergraduate orientation programs. In addition to information about law school life, Orientation covers fundamental skills and substantive legal information that is key to first semester success. The decision to begin law school includes a commitment to attend the mandatory law school Orientation and incoming students must plan accordingly. The dates for 1L student Orientation are designated on the Academic Calendar. All incoming 1L students must attend all Orientation sessions as a prerequisite to enrollment in law school classes. However, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may grant leave and relief from this policy in extraordinary circumstances. Extraordinary circumstances do not include a planned vacation or the timing of a student’s move to the Knoxville area. A student requesting relief from this policy must submit a petition to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in advance of Orientation that explains the student’s extraordinary circumstance preventing attendance at Orientation. If a student experiences an emergency during Orientation, the student may submit a petition as soon as possible following resolution of the emergency. If the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs agrees that the student’s circumstance warrants relief, he or she may permit the student to watch recordings of Orientation sessions and complete alternate assignments that are designed to develop the same skills that the student would have learned and practiced during Orientation. These may include written assignments, online or in-person coursework, readings, or additional meetings with faculty or staff. If the student fails to watch the recordings and complete the alternate assignments by the drop/add deadline for classes, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs shall administratively withdraw the student from classes or impose an alternate consequence. An example of such an alternate consequence is that the student would immediately accrue one absence in each of the student’s Fall semester courses, thereby effectively heightening the student’s attendance requirement for the semester. No person may “excuse” a student’s absence from Orientation, other than by the above method.
