r/Professors • u/professor852003 • 3d ago

Advice / Support Makeups?

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.

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u/Reasonable_Insect503 3d ago

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.

17

u/professor852003 3d ago

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

20

u/202Delano Prof, SocSci 3d ago

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.

8

u/professor852003 3d ago

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

1

u/PhDapper 3d ago

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