Cluster Attendance Policy
The School of Accelerated Degree Programs is an accelerated program designed for motivated learners who take responsibility for their education. It is assumed that a student will not miss any classes. However, recognizing that students are working adults, one absence can be compensated for (at the instructor’s discretion) through additional assigned work. Two absences will result in a grade drop in one, two, or all three of the cluster courses, depending on the class format and the instructor’s judgment. Three absences are unacceptable as that represents one-fourth of the class periods. A student who has missed or will miss three cluster meetings will receive failing grades in the cluster. The first class (Saturday for graduate students and new undergraduate students and the first week of classes for returning undergraduate students) and the thirteenth class (arranged by the instructor) are both considered part of the scheduled coursework and attendance will be counted accordingly.
In addition, the attendance policy is structured so that it incorporates tardiness and early departure from class as part of overall attendance reporting. Students are expected to arrive for the beginning of class periods and remain until the instructor terminates the class meeting. Instructors will monitor and record the names of students who arrive late for class meetings or who leave class early. Tardy or early departure absences are cumulative and counted according to the program's absence reporting policy. Students who accumulate four hours of tardy or early departure penalties will be assessed one evening’s absence. This policy shall be strictly enforced and in no cases shall exceptions be allowed.