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Professors say weather should not affect attendance

February 17, 2015

Everyday mundane tasks become much more difficult to do during winter, but going to class becomes especially challenging.

Elementary education junior Lauren Polens admitted she has missed class before because of cold weather, which she said is a justifiable reason.

“I mean, if we’re out here and it’s freezing cold and there’s no way to stay warm, people would rather stay inside and do work from home,” she said.

Supply chain management sophomore Hyeon-U Kim said he has also skipped class because of inclement weather.

Kim said while it’s not the best excuse to miss class, he makes decisions mostly on a case-by-case basis.

“It’s just a matter of how people can handle it,” he said. “If they can still handle the grades, catching up with classes, then it’s up to them.”

Kim also said he thinks professors can understand why students are reluctant to attend class, but regardless, they still don’t want students to miss class.

Associate marketing professor Thomas Page said he doesn’t think getting to class in winter is a big deal, and that if it really was a big deal, the university would cancel classes.

“If I can get here from Brighton, I suspect students can get here from Cedar Village,” Page said.

Page recalled a time, several years ago, when a group of students stood outside former university President Peter McPherson’s house and protested, demanding he cancel classes. The temperature that day was roughly around minus 5 degrees. Page said he found this situation to be humorous, because if students can stand outside and protest in such cold weather, then they can walk to class.

Page’s class is a lecture that consists of 550 students, so he doesn’t take attendance. He said he doesn’t notice a significant decrease in attendance in winter, but rather in spring.

“Those first warm days in April, I’ll be lucky if I get half the class there,” he said.

Hospitality business and human resource management professor Carl Borchgrevink  said he notices a definite drop in attendance on days where the weather is particularly inclement.

However, he has a much more lenient approach to students missing class.

“I let students skip any reason whatsoever as long as they tell me prior,” he said. “(I don’t) need to know the reason. It’s not a question for me to decide if the reason’s good enough.”

Of course, the students are responsible for making up any work they miss during their absence. Also, Borchgrevink said students who don’t notify him of their absence prior to class aren’t allowed to make up any work missed.

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