Attendance Policy

Attendance in classes is expected in all courses at Syracuse University. It is a federal requirement that faculty promptly notify the university of students who do not attend or cease to attend any class. Faculty will use Early-Semester Progress Reports and Mid-Semester Progress Reports in Orange SUccess to alert the Registrar and Financial Aid Office on non-attendance. More information regarding Orange SUccess can be found here.

  • Attendance and punctuality are mandatory for all courses at Syracuse Madrid.  This includes site visits and course-related field study, some of which may take place during non-class hours or on weekends, as indicated in the syllabus. Students unable to attend class, visit, or field study must inform the professor in advance. An absence is excused for documented medical reasons or emergencies when approved by Syracuse Madrid Student Life Wellness Assistant Raquel Perea Arenas at rparenas@syr.edu.
  • If you are unable to attend class for unforeseen reasons, you will be granted two such absences as excused (not applicable to scheduled field trips), after which, every additional unexcused absence will decrease the final grade by one-third of a letter grade (e.g. a B+ becomes a B becomes B-, etc.).  Unexcused absences from overnight field trips may be counted as double, at the professor’s discretion.
  • Personal travel inside or outside of Madrid during class sessions is an unexcused absence. This includes family visits.
  • Quizzes, exams, presentations, site visits, and field trips cannot be made up (see Faith Tradition Observances exception below). If you miss a class, you should ask the instructor about how to continue your learning.
  • The accumulation of five unexcused absences will impact student learning in such a way that the course is not completed and the student cannot earn a passing grade in the course.
  • Students must inform the professor prior to the start of class if they know they will be tardy for a valid reason; tardy students should enter the room discreetly and quietly.  Excessive tardiness may be counted as an unexcused absence and may affect the final grade the student earns.
  • Students are expected to stay for the duration of the class and to leave only during designated breaks except in the case of a valid and documented medical necessity. Frequent missed time in class may be counted as an unexcused absence.
  • A student that falls asleep during the class may be asked by the professor to leave the classroom and would be counted as absent for that class.
  • Students who are having side conversations that distract the instructor or your fellow students may be asked to leave the classroom and would be counted as absent for that class.