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Attendance

Learning is a partnership between students and instructors, and as such student attendance is essential to the learning experience. Courses incorporate live classroom instruction and web-based technology that provides additional materials and activities to supplement classroom learning and enhance the development of vital thinking skills. It is incumbent on all students to actively participate in their learning. Along with the purchase of texts, downloading of classroom materials and reading assignments is the responsibility of the student. Regardless of absence(s) from (a) given class meeting(s) and/or failure of lecture capture technology, students are responsible for material covered.

For pharmacists, promptness and professionalism are essential qualities. Lateness to a class is a distraction both to the instructor and to a student’s classmates. Repeated lateness are a form of improper professional behavior, and may impact their grades as stipulated in their course syllabus.

Individual faculty members determine the specific attendance policies for their didactic courses, with a stipulation that allows a maximum number of absences proportionate to approximately 10% of total semester contact hours. These are stated in every course syllabus.

Classroom attendance is monitored through the use of clickers, which must be brought to every class.

Requests for absences from didactic courses should be directed to the course coordinator, using the standard TCOP Absence Request Form available through the Canvas course management system under “General Resources.”

Examples of allowed absences include the following:

  1. Death in the student’s family

  2. Medical illness or accident

  3. Summons to appear for jury duty or before a court

  4. Birth of a child

  5. Military obligations

Requests for absences extending beyond two weeks in a semester, or absences related to special accommodations, should be directed to the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs.

Attendance Policies and Procedures for Laboratory Sessions

  1. Attendance at assigned laboratory sessions is mandatory.

  2. Lateness will not be tolerated. It is the student's responsibility to make every effort to arrive at laboratory sessions on time, and to anticipate prolonged commuting times. Academic penalty for non-compliance will be enforced at the discretion of the laboratory coordinator.

If a student is unable to attend a laboratory session, the course coordinator must be notified by using a standard TCOP Absence Request form available through the Canvas course management system under “General Resources,” prior to the start of the session with the reason clearly indicated for the absence. In emergency situations when prior notification cannot be provided, the student must inform the course coordinator on the next business day. For an excused absence, the laboratory session can be made up according to the parameters stipulated in the course syllabus. An unexcused absence for a scheduled laboratory day will result in a grade of zero for the laboratory activity and any assignments not submitted that were due that day.

Attendance Policy for Practice Experience Courses (on- and off-campus)

The Department of Practice Experience and the Office of Practice Experience (OPE) determine the attendance policies for all experiential courses. Student should refer to and follow the instructions in the individual course syllabus or OPE Manual.

Examinations

Students are required to be present for all scheduled examinations and may not begin an examination after the scheduled start time. If an examination is missed due to an absence or lateness, the course coordinator will determine if a makeup exam will be allowed. The time and the nature of the makeup exam will be determined by the course coordinator. All requests, along with supporting documentation, to be officially excused from exams, quizzes and required class assignments must be submitted to the course coordinator within 24 hours prior to the exam or after the exam, in case of emergencies.

Absences to Attend Off-Campus Conferences and Events

A policy has been established whereby students may be excused from lectures, laboratories, examinations or rotations to attend College-approved, off-campus academic and non-academic functions. This policy specifies an approval procedure that must be followed by all student organizations and individual students requesting attendance:

  1. TCOP-approved student organizations must first seek permission from the Office of Student Affairs to send student representatives to the proposed off-campus activity. Written requests must be submitted at least one (1) month prior to the activity.

  2. Individual students seeking permission to attend an off-campus conference or program must be in good overall academic standing at the time permission is granted.

  3. Students requesting permission to attend any approved off-campus activity must obtain approval from the coordinator of each of the courses in which they are registered.

  4. A written request from each student to attend the approved off-campus activity must then be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs for final written approval. Requests must be submitted at least one (1) month prior to the activity.

  5. Students in clinical rotations who wish to attend off-campus activities must have prior approval from the preceptor to whom they are assigned and the Senior Director of the Office of Practice Experience or his/her designee. Requests for off-campus conferences must be submitted at least one month prior to the beginning of the rotation during which the conference will occur. Additional details pertaining to attendance at professional meetings while on rotations are presented in the OPE manual.