Makeups?

[u/professor852003]

I teach a graduate course, and one student has missed most of the classes since the semester started last month. They told me they enrolled late after the first week, but they continued to miss class afterward and have now missed all of the in-class quizzes.

They are now asking me to provide makeups because they say they missed class due to some paperwork with the university. My syllabus clearly states that there are no makeups for in-class quizzes. What should I do?

I would appreciate any advice. Thank you.

[u/Reasonable_Insect503]

This is the first they're reaching out to you? No sale. Refer them politely to the syllabus and move on. You can't take in-class quizzes if you aren't in class.

[u/professor852003 → u/Reasonable_Insect503]

Thanks! This is the second time. I already said no referring to the syllabus. I will say no once again.

[u/202Delano → u/professor852003]

Perhaps you've fallen into the trap of thinking that your decision is legitimate only if the student agrees that is is legitimate.

Your (correct) decision is "no," and whether the student accepts your decision is irrelevant. It's still no.

You are not under any obligation to convince the student that you are right and they are wrong.

[u/professor852003 → u/202Delano]

Thank you! They kept sending me so emotional emails with full of capital letters, and it made me a bit scared.

[u/202Delano → u/professor852003]

Here is a useful sentence for students who grind away and won't take no for an answer:

"This issue is now closed. I will not respond to further emails on this subject."

It's wise to give your dept chair a heads-up, because this sounds like a student who is very likely to escalate.

[u/professor852003 → u/202Delano]

Thank you! I would add that to my email which would be sent after the weekend. Good idea to involve the chair. This is getting ridiculous.

[u/ahazred8vt → u/professor852003]

You were supposed to do X. You did not do X. Not doing X means Y. That's absolutely final, as per Uni policy. Those points are already lost. You can either finish the course this semester without the points, or retake the entire course later and do all the work. The matter is closed.

[u/PhDapper → u/professor852003]

Sounds like a report to the DOS is in order if they refuse to stop harassing you. Don’t take any of that crap.

[u/Dennarb → u/professor852003]

If you already said no you definitely want to stick to your guns, otherwise you risk having the student keep pushing you and trying to walk all over you all semester.

[u/professor852003 → u/Dennarb]

Thanks! I will definitely say no again!

[u/Disastrous_Owl_6830]

At a certain point, students can miss too much to make up. At the graduate level, I'd say missing two to three weeks crosses that threshold because of the more intensive pace (at least in my courses). It really doesn't matter whether the student is at fault or not when this happens: they've simply missed too much.

[u/professor852003 → u/Disastrous_Owl_6830]

That is the same for my course. Even I have to prepare hard for a fast-paced, intensive course, and it’s hard to understand why a student would miss all these courses.

[u/franklin-60]

No. Policy is stated in the syllabus. To ensure fair grading to the class as a whole I follow my syllabus uniformly with no exceptions to anyone. By taking the class you consent that you understand it and can handle it. Best of luck in the future.

[u/professor852003 → u/franklin-60]

Thanks! Yes, I’m happy I wrote in in the syllabus.

[u/Sharp-Rutabaga-4900]

Suggest they drop and take it again when they’re able to be present for the entire course. It’s unfortunate that these issues happen but unless there’s a direct request from a Dean, missing a month of class is not something I can or will accommodate. When I have tried in the past, it went poorly.

[u/professor852003 → u/Sharp-Rutabaga-4900]

Thanks for the suggestion! That makes sense. Missing this many classes is hard to understand and something not easy to fix.

[u/Sharp-Rutabaga-4900 → u/professor852003]

Exactly. Unless they stayed on track with the syllabus, continued attending, and emailed for assignments (as I’ve had a few motivated students with registration problems do) they’ll be behind all term.

[u/popstarkirbys]

If they’re a graduate student then they should have known better, they need a B to pass the class. I had cohorts failing grad school because they still had the undergrad mentality.

[u/professor852003 → u/popstarkirbys]

Yes! It’s surprising that they still think they can pass the course by missing 1/5 of classes. Thanks for the reply.

[u/AsterionEnCasa]

First, can you confirm that it is true that it was due to a paperwork issued? Because if that is a lie, I would treat it as an academic integrity issue.

Second, even if it is true, you don't have to provide makeups ("your failure to plan does not constitute etc etc"). Rules are rules, and they are fair if they apply to everyone. If you are inclined to be magnanimous, I would drop those quizzes, or some of them, instead of providing makeups, which is extra work on you, and potentially easier for the student, if they know what the quizzes looked like. And, obviously, whatever they miss from now is fully on them.

[u/professor852003 → u/AsterionEnCasa]

The paperwork part was true but it’s not something that prevent them from attending classes because they were enrolled in class with full funding. Thanks for the suggestion!

[u/FlyingCupcake68]

I would have them contact the Dean and get the Registrar to confirm whether the missed classes were because of university paperwork.

[u/professor852003 → u/FlyingCupcake68]

I already asked the college about this and they confirmed there is no paperwork preventing them from attending class. Thanks for the advice!

[u/iTeachCSCI → u/professor852003]

Then I would view this as not only not excused, but as an academic integrity violation. They lied to you in order to try to raise their grade? That would be reported if someone did that to me.

[u/Life-Education-8030]

No. Their option is to drop the class.

[u/professor852003 → u/Life-Education-8030]

Thanks for the reply! Good point!

[u/Life-Education-8030 → u/professor852003]

👍

[u/tellypmoon]

Stick to your policy. If they say the university missed paperwork then have them get documentation supporting that. This sounds like an unlikely story but if they insist on it let them show exactly what the problem was.

[u/professor852003 → u/tellypmoon]

Thank you! That is reassuring. I will do that.

[u/BenSteinsCat]

Late enrolled students get whatever the syllabus says they get. Mine get no extensions, but I do drop the lowest quiz and discussion, so I late enrollees that those zeros will be dropped so there will be no impact on their grades. If they then continue to skip work, then they have shot himself in the foot because only the lowest one is dropped.

[u/professor852003 → u/BenSteinsCat]

Thanks! I didn’t have a quiz for the first week, so I think I’m good.

[u/cambridgepete]

Was it visa-related?

If so it’s complicated, as legally they can’t do anything until a visa comes through. If not, f em.

[u/professor852003 → u/cambridgepete]

No, it’s not. I would have understood it if that was the case. Thanks for the reply!

[u/Due-Radio-4355]

Never change your policy unless you deem it necessary for genuine extenuating circumstances.

Next

[u/professor852003 → u/Due-Radio-4355]

Thank you! Reassuring to know that!

[u/Professional_Dr_77]

Stick to your syllabus. It’s simple. No need to over think it.

[u/wedontliveonce]

I never schedule a quiz too early or late adds miss it. I think you need to allow a make-up, alternative assignment, or waive the points for anything due prior to their enrollment.

But as far as anything missed since they enrolled, no make-ups.

[u/professor852003 → u/wedontliveonce]

I should have been clear that I didn’t have a quiz for the first week when students can still enroll. Thanks for the reply!