Mar 29, 2024  
2019-2020 College Catalog 
    
2019-2020 College Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Attendance


The ongoing interaction between the instructor and the student is vital to the mission of LIM College. This interaction supports a dynamic and responsive curriculum in a highly personal learning environment. In accordance with this mission, attendance at all class sessions is expected and is considered critical to a student’s academic success and personal enrichment.

Each instructor is required to state in their syllabi expectations regarding class attendance and their policy on accepting late assignments. Each instructor will keep a permanent record of attendance for each class and this record will be maintained electronically in SONIS (the College’s administrative database). These records are subject to inspection by appropriate College officials. However, it is highly advisable that students also track their own attendance record through their SONIS account. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the following attendance policies:

ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS
Academic departments include Arts & Sciences; Fashion Merchandising; Marketing, Management & Finance; and Visual Studies.

Courses that meet on campus two times per week
On the fifth unexcused absence, a student’s final grade will be reduced by half a letter grade and will continue to be reduced by the same amount for every subsequent absence.

Courses that meet on campus only one time per week
On the third unexcused absence, a student’s final grade will be reduced by half a letter grade and will continue to be reduced by the same amount for every subsequent absence.

Hybrid courses (one class on campus and one class online per week)
An absence is defined as either not showing up for the on-campus class or, for the online portion, not signing in and completing an assignment or other deliverable. On the fifth unexcused absence, a student’s final grade will be reduced by half a letter grade and will continue to be reduced by the same amount for every subsequent absence.

Career and Internship Services (CARE) hybrid courses (one class per week, either on campus or online)
An absence is defined as either not showing up for the on-campus class or, for the online portion, not signing in and completing an assignment or other deliverable. On the third unexcused absence, a student’s final grade will be reduced by half a letter grade and will continue to be reduced by the same amount for every subsequent absence.

Online courses (no on-campus classes)
An absence is defined as not signing in and completing an assignment or other deliverable. On the third unexcused absence, a student’s final grade will be reduced by half a letter grade and will continue to be reduced by the same amount for every subsequent absence. For courses offered in online modules, upon the second absence, a student’s final grade will be reduced by half a letter grade and will continue to be reduced by the same amount for every subsequent absence.

COLLEGE-WIDE ATTENDANCE POLICY
(includes all academic departments and experiential education courses)

Students are required to abide by the attendance policy as stated in the syllabus for each course. Additionally, the institution believes that missing 40% or more of any scheduled classes (either excused or unexcused) for any one course in which a student is enrolled may undermine the integrity of the educational experience. At the conclusion of each academic term, the College Registrar will review the attendance records for all courses in which a failing grade (“F”) was issued by the instructor. Failed courses where a student was not in attendance for 40% or more of scheduled class meetings will be assigned an “FA” grade by the Office of the Registrar, signifying failure for lack of attendance. The grade of “FA” calculates negatively into the GPA the same as an earned “F”. An “FA” may also affect some forms of financial aid. Additionally, in accordance with course syllabus grading and attendance policies, an instructor may request that an “FA” grade be assigned by the College Registrar prior to the end of the term because lack of attendance has decreased the possible course grade to failing. Once an “FA” grade is assigned, a student may no longer remain active in the course.

SUMMER SEMESTER

Academic departments utilize a common attendance policy. The policy on attendance as it relates to a student’s grade is as follows:

  • Summer Session A and Summer Session B - Career and Internship Services (CARE)
    • On the second unexcused absence the student’s final grade will be reduced by half a letter grade and will continue to be reduced by the same amount after every subsequent absence.
  • All other Summer Session A and Summer Session B courses
    • On the third unexcused absence the student’s final grade will be reduced by half a letter grade and will continue to be reduced by the same amount after every subsequent absence. 
  • Summer Session C courses
    • For online classes, an absence is defined as not signing in and completing the week’s assignment(s).
    • On the second unexcused absence the student’s final grade will be reduced by half a letter grade and will continue to be reduced by the same amount after every subsequent absence.

Lateness
Classes begin on time. Each late arrival or early departure will be considered half an absence.

If according to the above policy, the grade possible in the course has been decreased to the point of failure, even before the end of the semester, your instructor may request that a Failure Due to Attendance grade (“FA”) be assigned to you by the Office of the Registrar. Once this grade is assigned, you may no longer remain active in the course.

ONLINE MODULES ONLY
During the first week of online classes students are expected to participate in a discussion forum or other deliverable (no later than Sunday, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time) to confirm their enrollment in the course. This mandatory check-in is required for each course in which the student is enrolled. Students who are not active by Sunday, 11:59 p.m. will be de-registered from the course without tuition liability.