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Psychology 101: Introduction to Psychology
Dr. Jay Moore
Some AFrequently Asked Questions@ about absences, make-ups, and other administrative
matters
Q: Is attendance required?
A: I do not call the role in class. However, I do assume students are intellectually mature
enough to understand that their final grade in the course is nevertheless linked with their
attendance. For example, material is covered in class that is directly related to questions on
tests/quizzes. Students who have been absent for major portions of the semester, and for
whom Incompletes are not an option (e.g., significant illness during the semester has
prevented attendance and completion of much of the course work), may file an appeal to
drop the course (see relevant sections below).
Q: Are students responsible for information presented in a class meeting in which they were
absent, including changes of schedule and test/quiz dates?
A: Yes. Because the syllabus is made up in advance of the semester, the dates are tentative
and are subject to change or correction. Every effort will be made to keep to the schedule
presented in the syllabus, although unforeseen emergencies may require changes. Any
such changes will be announced at the earliest opportunity, and students will have a
reasonable period of time to adjust to the change in schedule. In any event, students are
responsible for any information presented in a class meeting in which they are absent,
including changes of schedule and test/quiz dates. In addition, students are specifically
advised against attempting to pursue the course by having someone else take notes for them
or just looking at the lecture outlines posted on the world wide web and then showing up to
take tests/quizzes on the days identified in the syllabus.
Q: What happens if students miss a test/quiz?
A: Tests/quizzes are given on the day indicated in the syllabus, unless otherwise announced.
My policy when students are absent and miss a test/quiz is first to determine the reason for
the absence or lateness. If students know before the class that they will not be attending,
they can contact me before the class to discuss why they will be absent (e.g., too sick to get
out of bed, observing religious holiday). I do not automatically accept reasons for an
absence just because a student has called, but if there is an acceptable reason, it is helpful to
clarify the situation before a misunderstanding develops. Alternatively, if students do not
notify me before the class, I reserve the right to ask for written documentation pertaining to
the absence when they return (e.g., a statement from a physician that the student was
receiving treatment at just the time the class was being held, that the student was confined to
bed for rest, side effects from a prescribed medication prevented attendance, emergency
funeral notice, etc.). Again, I do not automatically accept reasons for an absence just
because a student has written documentation, but if there is an acceptable reason, it is
helpful to clarify the situation with supporting evidence. In general, if students are absent
from a test/quiz for an acceptable reason, I do not hold the missing work against them.
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Q: What are some examples of Aacceptable reasons@ for an absence from class on a test/quiz
day?
A: Examples of acceptable reasons for an absence from class include, but are not limited to,
illness so severe it precludes attending class (e.g., of oneself, dependent, dependent=s
caretaker), death of friend or close relative, acts of God, accident (with another car, a deer,
etc.) on the way to the university, car trouble (battery dead and care wouldn=t start, flat
tire, broken fan belt), the city/county snowplow blocked the entrance to your
driveway/alleyway and you can=t get out, UWM athletic competition, military duty,
observing a religious holiday, etc. See also the comments about written documentation in
the paragraph above. The general criterion is whether students are absent because of some
factor beyond their control. Fraudulently misrepresenting the reason for an absence (e.g.,
students claiming they were too sick to come to class when they really weren=t; students
were seen frolicking on the campus, in the bookstore, at the union, in the dorm) constitutes
academic misconduct and warrants dismissal from the course with the grade of F.
Q: What are some examples of Aunacceptable reasons@ for an absence from class on a test/quiz
day?
A: Examples of unacceptable reasons for an absence from class include, but are not limited
to, personal convenience, lack of planning, oversight, oversleeping, couldn=t find a parking
place, cutting class, failure to read syllabus and realize a test/quiz was scheduled on that
day--even if the dates have been rescheduled and the student was absent during a portion of
the class or on the day the change in schedule was announced, etc. Of course, failure to
notify me in advance or to provide written documentation when asked is also unacceptable.
The general criterion is whether students are absent because of some factor that they can
reasonably control. Students should note that wanting to leave early for vacations or to
return late from vacations (e.g., Thanksgiving in the fall, Spring Vacation in the spring) is an
unacceptable reason for an absence on a test/quiz day. This policy means that students
cannot take a quiz/test at a different time because they are leaving for vacation, they have
already purchased their tickets, their parents are leaving, they need to meet their vacation
partner(s) at the vacation destination, etc., either at a mid-semester vacation or at the end of
the semester. Students should also take extra care that work schedules and family vacations
do not conflict with course requirements, especially around holidays and the end of the
semester.
Q: Can students make up work if they are absent from class for an acceptable reason?
A: Yes. Students should contact me as soon as possible after their return and arrange for a
make-up. Students may be interested to know that if the original test was multiple-choice
format, the make-up will likely be an essay test.
Q: Is there a deadline for making up the missing work?
A: Yes. Except where incompletes are involved (see below), a test or quiz needs to be made
up before the next test or quiz.
Q: What happens if students don=t make up the work before the end of the course?
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A: I will enter a grade of 0 or F for any work not made up or not submitted before the end of
the course and compute the final grade accordingly.
Q: Can students make up work if they are absent from class for an unacceptable reason?
A: No. I will enter a grade of 0 or F for any work missed and compute the final grade
accordingly.
Q: Will I notify students about missing tests/quizzes during the semester, even after an absence
for an acceptable reason?
A: No. I will not notify students about missing tests/quizzes during the semester, even after
an absence for an acceptable reason. It is the student=s responsibility to get in touch with
me. I assume that students are intellectually mature enough to read the syllabus to
determine what course requirements are, what they have done, and what they have missed.
I further assume that if they don=t contact me, they are content to receive a 0 or F for any
missing work and nothing further needs to be done. Of course, I am happy to meet with
students during office hours or by appointment if they want to discuss these policies or any
aspect of their academic performance in the class.
Q: What is the drop policy in the class?
A: UWM policy permits students to drop a course, but it has to be dropped before the
published deadline.
Q: Can students take a test/quiz early, before the time/date indicated in the syllabus or
announced in class?
A: Ordinarily, no. I regret that I cannot routinely make special arrangements for each
student to take tests/quizzes at alternate times. I will consider extraordinary requests on a
case by case basis. If allowed, the test will likely be an essay.
Q: What is the incomplete policy in the class?
A: UWM policy allows a notation of AIncomplete@ to be given in lieu of a final grade to a
student who has carried a subject successfully until near the end of the semester but who,
because of illness or other unusual or substantiated cause beyond the student=s control, has
been unable to take or complete the final examination or some limited amount of term work.
Note in particular that an incomplete is not simply an extension to complete course
requirements that can=t be completed during the academic term because of lack of personal
planning. It is given only when illness or some other unusual circumstance prevents the
completion of a specific component of course requirements, such as a test/quiz, assignment,
or final exam. Incompletes are to be made up during the first eight weeks of the next
succeeding semester of enrollment. If it is not made up, the grade will lapse to an F, as
specified by UWM policy. See the relevant UWM policy. Students who receive an
Incomplete should contact me as early as possible in the next succeeding semester of
enrollment to discuss making up the missing work.
Q: Will I get in touch with students to remind them to make up the missing work to remove the
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Incomplete?
A: No. I will not get in touch with students to remind them to make up the missing work to
remove the incomplete.
Q: What happens if students are scheduled to receive elective medical treatment during the
course?
A: If a student is a candidate for elective medical treatment (surgery, wisdom teeth removed,
etc.), the best thing is to try to schedule the treatment for after the course. If a student
specifies to me that the treatment absolutely can=t be scheduled for after the course, the
student should try to get it scheduled at a time that doesn=t conflict with a test or other
course requirements. If a student specifies to me that the treatment absolutely must be
received at a time that conflicts with a test or other course requirements, I will consider the
treatment an acceptable reason for absence on a case by case basis. Students may be
interested to know that if the original test was multiple-choice format, the make-up will
likely be an essay test. If the student doesn=t contact me concerning the absence, I will
record a 0 or F for the missing work, and calculate the final grade accordingly.
Q: What is my policy on academic misconduct?
A: Academic misconduct warrants dismissal from the course with the grade of F.
Examples of academic misconduct include but are not limited to the following: (a) copying
or attempting to copy the work of another during a quiz/test; (b) unauthorized
communication or attempt to communicate with another person during the test/quiz for the
purpose of obtaining an answer to a quiz/test question; (c) using unauthorized material
during a quiz/test, such as notes or crib sheets, hidden on the person, in the vicinity of one=s
seat, or written on the person=s skin or desk ; and (d) fraudulently handing in assignments
(e.g., plagiarism, misrepresenting reasons for absence/lateness).
Q: Can I telephone or send an e-mail message to ask what I received on the last test/quiz, my
current grade, or my final grade in the course?
A: No. I regret that because of the confidentiality of student records, I cannot give out
scores or grades in this way. Students are encouraged to keep track of their grades
individually, and to keep track of any extra credit they earn. Point values are announced
for all work. In classes with discussion or lab sections, students may also meet with their
TAs to obtain this information. They may calculate their own grades according to the
standards set forth in the syllabus, so they will always know how they are doing and don=t
even need to ask. In fact, since the information about how grades are determined is readily
available on the syllabus, I assume that students who ask what their grade is after a test/quiz
aren=t paying attention in the class. I further assume that students are responsible enough
to know how to contact their TAs.
Q: Can I listen to my personal audio device through headphones during a test/quiz?
A: No. Although students may argue that listening to music through headphones may relax
them during a test/quiz and relieve their anxiety, I regret that I cannot tell whether students
are actually listening to music or unauthorized material, such as notes.
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Q: English is not my first language. May I use a dictionary during a test/quiz?
A: Yes, so long as the dictionary gives only the directly synonymous words/terms/concepts in
one=s first language, and does not give supplemental information about the
words/terms/concepts.
Q: May I take the final exam at a different time?
A. No. According to UWM Policy S-22, the time of the final exam cannot be changed for
any student. This policy means that students cannot take the final exam at a different time
because they are leaving for vacation, they have already purchased their tickets, their
parents are leaving, they need to meet their vacation partner(s) at the vacation destination,
etc. Students should also take extra care that work schedules and family vacations do not
conflict with course requirements, especially around holidays and the end of the semester.