Maybe I shouldn't have started this blog now, not with everything that's been going on.

It’s the end of the first six weeks of classes. Previously the department chairman relayed to us by e-mail a reminder from the Vice President of Academics that students who attend six weeks of classes, regardless of whether they have paid tuition or are not enrolled in that class, legally have the right to be given a grade.

So the warning was not to let students in our classes unless they are officially in the class list. There was also an admonition not to let those sitting in take exams.

We were told that that policy is in the Magna Carta of Students. It would be hell to implement though.
First of all, if a student abuses this “right” by only showing up for six out of the fourteen weeks of classes, what kind of grade would they expect other than a ‘0.0’? This is, of course, disregarding the other rule, which is in the Students’ Handbook, that students who exceed the maximum allowable absences for the term can automatically be given a failing grade in that class.

Second, how is the student to prove that he or she has attended that class for six weeks? If the professor calls attendance from the class list given by the Registrar’s Office during the first week of classes, his name will never be called. If he calls the professor’s attention to the omission, the professor is required to ask for proof of enrollment before acting otherwise. So the student can’t bluff his way into attending six weeks without payment that way.

If the professor gives any class work during that six week period, and notices a name not in his class list among the papers submitted when he records them, of course he will question the student about it in the next meeting. We’re back to being asked for proof of enrollment before his score gets recorded.

If a teacher is familiar with all of the faces in his classroom, it’s common courtesy for the students to ask the professor first if they want to sit in on the class. And it’s assumed that the “guest” only wants to attend because of a passing interest in listening to the subject matter, and would not be taking the tests. Any student who is not enrolled in that class, has sat in on some of the classes, and wants to take the exam, would raise the teacher’s suspicion immediately, and would be instantly refused.

The only way for the student to claim that he was able to pass all the class requirements is on the rare case that the teacher does not check attendance and only grades all the students’ papers during finals week.
Then, if he brings the teacher’s attention to the fact, what’s to prevent the teacher from throwing out all his papers to prevent a lawsuit?

The burden of proof lies (nice choice of word that) on the student that he has attended the six weeks. Will the sworn testimony of his seatmates be enough, without any requirements submitted to back his claim?
Will the deciding panel allow him to take an exam to show that he was present during the professor’s lectures for at least six weeks, when it’s just as easy to study from a friend’s notes?

It’s a nice “right” but it’s very difficult to implement.