Attending classes is a core part of the college experience. Professors want students to come to class because simply showing up has correlated with students doing better. It is all very intuitive: A healthy attendance record reflects the effort you are willing to put in in order to be successful and actually engaged in class. However, attendance is just one way to get students to actively participate. Written assignments, exams and projects all push students to engage with the material, yet classes still stress mandatory attendance, making little leeway for those needing to be excused for religious purposes, illness or mental health reasons without grades being negatively impacted. Given this, it would make more sense for the University of Michigan’s administration to start standardizing policies to focus not wholly on mandatory attendance, but rather active participation in order to promote better student success for all types of learners.
Attendance is also linked to privilege. People who don’t have to worry about finances (like people who aren’t working while in school) have much more free time to focus on their studies. Additionally, attendance is not equal for all races and ethnicities: Black, Hispanic and Indigenous students are disproportionately affected by chronic absenteeism. Therefore, perfect attendance policies favor the already privileged, providing another barrier for underrepresented communities to cross. Women, as well as other underrepresented minorities, are more likely to be silenced, shot down or discouraged from participating out of fear that they may “look stupid.” Not feeling fully wanted in the classroom can affect a student’s motivation to come to class and participate; mandatory attendance policies punish these students’ grades for feeling uncomfortable in a place where they should feel welcomed.
Mandatory attendance can also pose harm to students with disabilities. While the University is required by Title II and Section 504 to provide the appropriate accommodations for a student with a disability, services may not be adequate enough to ensure student success. Forty-six percent of students with disabilities do register for their disability office, but almost as many students (44%) do not. Students left to advocate for themselves in a college environment are more vulnerable to maladministration. Even though accommodations are present, only 46% of professors will honor them fully. Because of this, a hard choice must be made between going to class or prioritizing health. In-person participation may not always be a feasible way for a student with a disability to demonstrate their knowledge of a subject, especially if the disability is chronic.
Mandatory attendance policies also harm students who are unable to get diagnosed. Once again, underrepresented communities are more likely to not receive than their white counterparts. Women are less likely to receive learning disability diagnoses than men. These individuals still have to follow the same attendance rules, even when it is harder to go to class.
The same logic can be applied for students who are simply dealing with a cold or a fever. Presenteeism, or the feeling that you “have” to go even when you are feeling under the weather, does not actually increase productivity but can cause the spread of illness in a workplace. At a rigorous academic institution like the University of Michigan, presenteeism may be heightened when students continue to come to class while they are sick because attendance policies are motivating them to do so. I have experienced more lectures where I’ve heard students violently cough than not. When classes don’t allow any absences, they put students in a dangerous position that enforces a never-ending cycle of sickness on campus.
There are ways for classes to encourage consistent attendance without having to rely on forcing students to be “perfect.” Some of my professors, for instance, allow a certain amount of breathing room. One of my classes allows three “unexcused” absences. Another allows seven. My professors also post their lecture slides, which helps students keep on top of their work without forcing them to attend class. In short, a good way for classes to restructure their attendance policies is by allowing a certain amount of unexcused absences, and drafting up a clear method of communication for when an excused absence happens.
In the classroom, an easy way to encourage student attendance is to make lessons more appealing. Many professors do care about participation, which is why they want to mandate attendance. But simply showing up is not enough — it is actively engaging in the content that will make a difference. Another way to help increase participation, instead of focusing on attendance, is substituting attendance grades for participation grades. Participation doesn’t always have to be raising your hand and contributing to a discussion, but can be modified for students who need to be asynchronous, such as written check-in assignments and quizzes. Providing asynchronous options for students allows for students to demonstrate their knowledge on a subject, while also not worrying about being penalized for missing class.
Another major upside of building better attendance policies is also increasing trust between professors and students. Unstandardized attendance policies across the board leads to needing more “proof” of an “excused absence” than others. Professors can also not adhere to 504 plans or IEPs, which once again, harms disabled students. Of course, there will always be those who make up excuses; I, too, would probably be suspicious if I kept getting emails that said “my grandpa died” right before big tests or assignments. A more streamlined method of communicating absences allows more open dialogue between both parties, decreasing suspicion that a student is lying about the reason for missing class.
At the end of the day, while attendance policies are tried and true methods to keep students on track, it should not be the be all and end all of determining success. Mandatory attendance policies may help students learn the material better, but there are a plethora of ways to encourage participation that are more equitable than making all students come to class every day.
Liv Frey is an Opinion Columnist exploring any and all types of relationships one can encounter in college. They can be reached at livfrey@umich.edu.