Attendance Policy

Athens Technical College requires regular and punctual class attendance because research shows a strong correlation between class attendance and grades earned. The college is committed to student success and employs a retention coordinator, a student navigator, and a coordinator for special populations to assist students in addressing the many underlying issues that can result in poor class attendance.

Absences prevent students from receiving full course benefits, disrupt orderly course progress, and diminish the quality of group interaction in class. The college considers both tardiness and early departure from class as forms of absenteeism. Students absent from class for any reason are still responsible for all work missed. Students who stop attending class, but do not formally withdraw, may receive grades of F and face financial aid repercussions in future semesters.

Instructors have both the right and the responsibility to develop reasonable attendance policies appropriate to the type, level, delivery method, and frequency of class meetings for their courses; communicate the policies to students clearly via their syllabi addenda; and apply the policies fairly and consistently to all enrolled students.

Instructors are responsible for determining whether work missed may be made up; any make-up work allowed is scheduled at the discretion of instructors. Policies for make-up work are detailed syllabi addenda. The college works with students to make accommodations for the observance of religious holidays, calls to active duty, and documented medical absences.

In the event of severe weather or other emergencies, students are expected to continue participating in learning activities via ANGEL/Blackboard, their @student.athenstech.edu email account, or other modality.  Instructors provide information on their continuation of instruction plans in their syllabi addenda.

Failure to attend class the first week may result in students being turned in as no-shows.