AttendancePolicyforFirstTimeinCollege(FTIC)StudentsinGeneralEducation
Courses
FrequentlyAskedQuestions
Pleasenotethatthispolicytitleusesthephrase“GeneralStudies.”Thenewlyadopted
termis“GeneralEducation,”sotheupdatedtermisusedintheFAQtoreflectcurrent
language.Thepolicywillberevisedinthefuture.
1.WhydidUWFdevelopanAttendancePolicyforFTICstudentsinGeneralEducation
courses?
Studentswhoattendclassregularlymasterthecoursematerialbetterandachievehigher
gradesthanthosestudentswhodonot.Retentionstudiesdemonstratethatstudentswho
attendclassregularlyarebothretainedbyandgraduatefromauniversityathigherrates
thanthosewhodonot.Ameta‐analysisof69peer‐reviewedstudiesreportedthatclass
attendancepredictedcollegegradesbetterthanothermetrics,includingscoresontheSAT
orACT(Credeetal.2010).TheBoardofGovernorsmetricsholdeachStateUniversity
Systeminstitutionresponsibleforachievingspecificretentionandgraduationrates,which
createsanadditionalmotivationtoattendtoandmakeeffortstoimproveretentionand
graduationrates.TheGeneralEducationCourseAttendancePolicyestablishesthe
expectationthateachfacultymemberrecordsattendanceforallFTICstudentsenrolledina
GeneralEducationcourseandprovidesthestudentswithawrittenattendancepolicy.
2.WhatisanFTICstudent?
TheStateUniversitySystemBoardofGovernorsdefinesanFTICstudentasastudentwho
hasearnedastandardhighschooldiplomafromaFloridapublicorregionallyaccredited
highschool,oritsequivalent,andwhohaveearnedfewerthantwelve(12)semesterhoursof
transferablecollegecreditsincereceivingastandardhighschooldiplomaorits
equivalent.UWFtrackseachmemberofthisgroupofstudentsorcohortforavarietyof
metricssuchasretentionandfourandsixyeargraduationrates.
3.HowdoesthispolicyrelatetoFinancialAid?
ForthepurposesofcompliancewithFederalFinancialAidrequirementsinstructorsare
requiredtoreportthelastdateofattendanceforFTICstudentswhowithdrawfromGeneral
Educationcourses.
4.IsdailyattendancemandatoryforFTICstudentsinallGeneralEducationclasses?
FTICstudentattendanceateveryclassmeetingisnotmandatory.Awrittenattendance
policyforeachGeneralEducationclassismandatoryandmustbeincludedinthecourse
syllabus.However,thestatedattendancepolicycannotexcusestudentsfromeveryclass
meeting.Facultymembershavetheprerogativetodevelopaclassattendancepolicythatis
appropriatefortheirclassifthepolicyconformstotheletterandintentionoftheGeneral
EducationCourseAttendancePolicy(i.e.,theclassattendancepolicycannotbe“Thereisno
attendancepolicyinthisclass.”)
5.DoesthispolicysupersedeorreplacetheClassAttendancePolicyinthecatalog?
No,theGeneralEducationCourseAttendancePolicyisasubsetofandactsinconcertwith
theClassAttendancepolicyasstatedintheUWFCatalog:
TheUniversityexpectsstudentstotakefullresponsibilityfortheiracademicworkandacademic
progress.Toprogresssatisfactorily,studentsmustmeettherequirementsofeachcourseforwhichthey
areregistered.Successfulworkdependstoalargeextentonregularclassattendance.
Classattendanceisregardedasanacademicmatter.Eachfacultymemberwillprovideawritten
attendancepolicytoeachclasswithinthefirstweekofclasses.Itistheresponsibilityofstudentstoknow
theattendancepolicyofeachcoursetheyaretaking.Studentsmustinformtheirinstructor(s)ofabsences
fromclassespriortoorassoonaspossibleaftertheabsence.Instructorshavetherighttorequest
verificationforallexcusedabsences.Studentsareheldaccountableforallassignmentsineachcourse,
whetherornottheassignmentswereannouncedduringanabsence.Facultymembersmustalloweach
studentwhoisabsentduetoareasonrecognizedasan"excusedabsence,"assetforthbelow,the
opportunitytomakeupworkmissedwithoutanyreductioninthestudent'sfinalcoursegradeasadirect
resultofsuchanabsence.
Theuseofattendancerecordsingradingandhandlingofanyexcusesforabsencesislefttothediscretion
ofthefacultymemberresponsibleforthecourse,subjecttotheguidelinesgivenbelow:
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Studentswillbeexcusedfromclasstoobservereligiousholidaysoftheirfaith.Nomajor
test,majorclassevent,ormajorUniversityactivitywillbescheduledonamajorreligious
holiday.
Absencesforimposedlegalresponsibilities(e.g.,juryduty,courtappearance)and
militaryobligationswillberecognizedasexcusedabsences.
Absencesresultingfromparticipationinextracurricularactivitiesinwhichstudentsare
officialrepresentativesoftheUniversitywillberecognizedasexcusedabsences.
Absencesforseriousillness,deathorseriousillnesswithinthestudent'simmediate
family,orothersoundreasonsofferedbythestudentmaybeacceptedasexcused
absences.
6.WhatisthedifferencebetweentheGeneralEducationCourseAttendancePolicyand
theClassAttendancePolicyinthecatalog?
TheGeneralEducationCourseAttendancePolicyforFirstTimeInCollege(FTIC)Students
appliestoaspecificsetofcoursesandisdesignedtoencourageengagementandsupport
effortstoimprovestudentretentionatUWF.Thepolicyrequiresthefacultymemberto
recordthelastdayofclassattendanceforallFTICstudentsenrolledinageneraleducation
course;doingsocreatestherecordsthatareneededforfinancialaidorotherenrollment
processesinthecaseofwithdrawalorchronicabsences.Moreinformationwillbeprovided
regardingthereportingprocess.
7.AretherereasonsforhavingaGeneralEducationCourseAttendancePolicyforFirst
TimeInCollege(FTIC)Studentspolicyotherthanimprovingstudentretentionand
overallacademicperformance?
Thepolicysupportsimplementationoftheattendanceverificationprocessthatisrequired
forfinancialaiddisbursement.ThepolicyalsoaugmentscompliancewithReturnofTitleIV
Fundsrules.Theserulesdirectlyimpactstudentathletes,studentswhoaremilitaryveterans,
andallstudentswhoreceivefinancialaid.
8.WhatdoIhavetodotomakecertainthatmyGeneralEducationcourseandsyllabus
areincompliancewiththepolicy?
AllGeneralEducationcoursesyllabimustcontainaclearattendancestatementwiththe
followingfivecomponents:
 AstatementthatregularattendanceforFTICstudentsisexpectedandwillbe
documented.
 Astatementabouttheroleofattendanceforthedisbursementandcontinuationof
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financialaid.
Criteriatheinstructorusestodefineanexcusedorunexcusedabsence.(Note:
criteriamustcomplywiththeuniversity‐wideClassAttendancePolicynotedabove
andprovidealinktothispolicy.)
 Describehowattendanceaffectsastudent’sgradeinthecourseandspecific
consequencesofunexcusedabsencesforthefinalgrade.
AllGeneralEducationcourseinstructionalpersonnelmustmaintainrecordsthatdocument
FTICstudents’attendanceintheclass.
9.WhatoptionsdoIhavefortakingattendance?
GeneralEducationcourseinstructorsareencouragedtoadoptoneofthefollowingorsimilar
options:
 TheInstructorwillcallrollforeachclasssession.
 TheInstructorwillcirculateasign‐insheetduringclass.Signingonanother
student’sbehalfisconsideredacademicmisconduct.
 TheInstructorwillverifyattendancebycheckingaseatingchart.
 TheInstructorwilladministeratestorquiztorecordattendanceinclassthatday.
 Verifyattendancebyusing“clickers”asfollows:
Thestudentusesaclickerto“checkin”foreachclassmeeting.TheInstructoror
willusetheclickersystemtorecordattendance.Allstudentsmustbringthe
clickertoclasseachclassmeetingandmakesuretheyunderstandhowtousethe
clicker.Usinganotherstudent’sclickeronhis/herbehalfisconsideredacademic
misconduct.
or
TheInstructororcreatesclassactivitiesthatrequireresponseswithclickers(e.g.,
offeraquizorposequestionsduringclass).Arecordofthestudent'sresponse
servesasattendanceverificationforthatday.
 Ifthetechnologyisavailable,attendancecanbeverifiedbyNautilusCardSwipeas
follows:
TheInstructororwilluseaNautilusCardswipertorecordattendance.Students
arerequiredtohavetheirNautilusCardwheneverattendingclass.Studentswill
swipetheirNautiluscardatthebeginningofeachclass.
or
StudentswillswipetheirNautiluscardwhenleavingclass.Swipinganother
student’scardonhis/herbehalfisconsideredacademicmisconduct.
10.Whowillmonitorcompliancewiththepolicy?
UniversityCollegewillworkwiththecollegesanddepartmentsthatofferGeneralEducation
coursestomonitorcompliancewiththeGeneralEducationCourseAttendancePolicyfor
FirstTimeInCollege(FTIC)Students.
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EXAMPLESOFLANGUAGETHATMAYBEUSEDINASYLLABUS
Youmaydraftstatementsthatmeetthespecificgoalsofyourcourseprovidedthestatement
includesallelementsdescribedinthisExamplessection.Somesuggestedstatementsfor
eachelementarelistedbelow.
Element1.GeneralStatement
Suggested“default”statementforaGeneralEducationcoursesyllabus
ThisisaGeneralEducationcourseforwhichregularattendanceandparticipationis
required.Classeswillincludeshortattendanceassignmentsthatmayonlybe
turnedinduringtheclassmeetingtime.Ifyoumissclassordonotcompletethe
attendancerecordortask,youareabsent.Onlythoseabsencesthataredefinedin
theUniversityclassattendancepolicywillbeconsideredexcusedabsences
(http://catalog.uwf.edu/undergraduate/academicpolicies/general/).Youare
allowedXXunexcusedabsencesinthisclass.IfyouhavemorethanXXunexcused
absences,yourfinalgradewillbereducedbyonestep(e.g.BtoB‐).Information
forstudentswhoreceivefinancialaid:Toreceivefinancialaidonthenormal
distributiontimeline,attendancemustbeconfirmedwithinsevencalendardaysof
thecoursestartdate.Astudentmayreviewconfirmedattendancestatusbyusing
the"MyClasses"appinMyUWF.Astudentwhostopsattendingclassforanyreason
willnotautomaticallybewithdrawnandwillstillberesponsibleforanymissed
work.AstudentwhostopsattendingclassmaybeawardedagradeofNF.This
grademayaffectfinancialaideligibilityorrequirerepaymentoffundsawarded.
Suggested“default”languageformethodsofdocumentingFTICStudentattendancein
onlinecourses
Becausetheinstitution’sLearningManagementSystemtrackseachandevery“touch”a
studentmakesinacourse,instructorscanidentify“benchmarks”or“milestones”totrack
studentattendanceintheironlinecourses.Suggestedsyllabusstatementsformethodsof
documentingattendanceinonlinecoursesinclude:
 Iwillperiodicallymonitoryourprogressinthiscoursethroughoutthesemester.You
areexpectedtomeetthefollowingattendancetargets:
 Complete25%ofthecoursematerialbytheendofthe4thweekoftheterm
(ordate).
 Iwillregularlymonitorandrecordyourparticipationincourseactivities
(livechats,quizzes,etc.)asevidenceofattendance.
 Yourengagementwiththecoursematerialswillbemonitoredforattendance
purposes.
Element2:FinancialAid
 Incompliancewithfederalregulations,financialaidcanonlybedisbursedto
studentswhoseattendancehasbeenconfirmedbytheInstructorofRecordduring
thedesignatedperiod.Confirmedattendanceisconductedbyverifyingclassroom
attendance.Ifastudenthasbeenapprovedforfinancialaid,fundswillnotbe
releaseduntiltheinstructorconfirmsattendance.Toreceivefinancialaidonthe
normaldistributiontimeline,studentattendancemustbeconfirmedwithinseven
calendardaysofthecoursestartdate.Astudentmayreviewconfirmed
attendancestatusbyusingthe"MyClasses"appinMyUWF.
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Astudentwhostopsattendingclassforanyreasonwillnotautomaticallybe
withdrawnandwillstillberesponsibleforanymissedwork.Astudentwhostops
attendingclassmaybeawardedagradeofNF.Thisgrademayaffectfinancialaid
eligibilityorrequirerepaymentoffundsawarded.
Element3:AttendanceMethod
 Iwillcallroll.
 Iwillcirculateasign‐insheetduringclass.Signingonanotherstudent’sbehalfis
consideredacademicmisconduct.
 Iwillusetheclickersystemtorecordattendance.Pleasemakesureyou
understandhowtouseyourclickerandyoushouldbringitwithyoutoeachclass
meeting.Usinganotherstudent’sclickeronhis/herbehalfisconsideredacademic
misconduct.
 Iwillofferaquizthatwillrequireuseofaclickerandwilluseyourresponseas
verificationofyourattendancethatday.
 Youmustuseyourclickerto“checkin”toeachclassmeeting.
 IwilluseaNautiluscardswipertorecordattendance,somakesureyoubring
yourNautilusCardtoclass.TheNautiluscardisUWF’sofficialidentificationcard.
Swipinganotherstudent’scardonhis/herbehalfisconsideredacademic
misconduct.
 YouwillneedtoswipeyourNautiluscardatthebeginningofeachclass.
 YouwillneedtoswipeyourNautiluscardasyouleaveclass.
 Iwillverifyyourattendancebycheckinganassignedseatingchart.
Element4:Criteria
 Anabsenceisconsideredanexcusedabsenceonlyifyourreasonforabsenceis
includedintheUniversityclassattendancepolicy.Youmustmakearrangements
withmepriortoyouruniversity‐sanctionedexcusedabsenceforanymissed
material,assignmentsorexams.
 Ifyoumissclassordonotcompletetheattendancerecordortask,youareabsent.
OnlythoseabsencesthataredefinedintheUniversityclassattendancepolicywill
beconsideredexcusedabsences.
 Tardiness/leavingearly(optional,ifdesired)
o IfyouarrivetoclassXXminuteslatewithoutpriorconsultationfromme,
youwillbemarkedasnotattendingforthatclassperiod.
o Ifyouleaveclassearlywithoutpriorconsultationwithme,youwillbe
markedasnotattendingforthatclassperiod.
 Inthecaseofseriousemergencies:(optional,ifdesired)
Ifyouareabsentforaseriousincidentoremergency,providedthatyou
submitdocumentation,yourabsencemaybeconsideredanexcused
absence.YouareeligibleforuptoXXexcusedabsences(notincluding
university‐sanctionedexcusedabsences).Seriousincidentsoremergencies
include,butarenotlimitedto,yourownseriousillness,seriousillnessor
deathinthefamily,ormilitaryobligations.Whenpossibleandprudent,
pleasenotifytheinstructorpriortotheregularlyscheduledclassmeeting.
Youmustsubmitdocumentationthatsupportsyourabsencenolaterthan
XXclassmeetingsORXXdaysafteryourreturn.
Element5:Consequences
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YouareallowedXXunexcusedabsencesinthisclass.UponyourXX+1absence,
youwillincurthefollowingconsequence(s):(EXAMPLES)
Yourfinalgradewillbereducedbyonestep(e.g.BtoB‐).
XXpointswillbedeductedfromattendance/participationgrade.
IfyouhaveanymorethanTHREEabsences,Iwillstartdroppingyourfinalgrade
byoneletterforeachsubsequentabsence
Missing0‐3days...nopenalty,missing4days...‐10pointsMissing5days...‐20
points,missing6days...‐30points,missing7days...‐40points,missing8days...‐
50points
NotonlyisattendancerequiredinthisGeneralEducationcourse,itisalsopartof
yourgrade.Thefollowingpointstructurewillbeusedtocalculatetheattendance
portionofyourgrade:
ExampleA
Ifyoumissmorethanthreeunexcusedabsences,youroveralltotalwillbe
reducedby5pointsforeachabsenceafterthethird
ExampleB
 Ifyouattendeachandeveryclass,3pointswillbeaddedtoyouroverall
pointtotalfromwhichyourgradewillbederived(andbelieveme,
someofyouwillneedthosepoints).
 Ifyoumissonlyone(1)classduringtheterm,1pointwillbeaddedto
youroverallpointtotal.
 Ifyoumisstwo(2)classesduringtheterm,0pointswillbeaddedto
youroverallpointtotal.
 Ifyoumissthree(3)classesduringtheterm,2pointswillbesubtracted
fromyourpointtotal(andbelieveme,someofyouwillnotbeableto
sparethosepoints).
 Ifyoumissfour(4)classesduringtheterm,4pointswillbesubtracted
fromyouroverallpointtotal.
 Ifyoumissfiveormore(5+)classesduringtheterm,10pointswillbe
subtractedfromyouroverallpointtotal.
ExampleC
0classesmissed
=50pointsextracredit
1classmissed
=25pointsextracredit
2classesmissed
=10pointsextracredit
3classesormoremissed
=0pointsextracredit
Credé,M.,Roch,S.G.&Kieszcznyka,U.M.(2010).Classattendanceincollege:ameta‐analytic
reviewoftherelationshipofclassattendancewithgradesandstudentcharacteristics.
ReviewofEducationalResearch,80(2),272‐295.
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