Attendance and Presence

Summary of Attendance Policies

  • Two unexcused absences lower your final grade by one letter (A→B).
  • Over 20 minutes tardy = one absence.
    * The first incident will be noted but excused.
  • Asleep in class = one absence.
    * The first incident will be noted but excused.

It has been said: 80% of success is just showing up. Your physical presence and civic participation in the class are of paramount importance. You are responsible for what happens in class whether you’re here or not. Organize with your classmates to get class information and material that you have missed.

Contact the professors in a timely way regarding your situation. If you’re going to be absent or late, send a message by email or Discord. If you’re ill, or if you know you will have a planned absence, please let us know before the beginning of that class session: we can be very understanding and accommodating about planned and necessary absences, family circumstances, and/or medical issues when you inform us in a timely and professional manner.

Mental presence and social media. Physical presence means nothing if you’re “checked out”; your mental presence is paramount. During the professor’s lectures or guest presentations, open laptops and social media are prohibited. Any laptop or phone for social media, texting, etc. is banned during lectures, critiques and group discussion, unless specifically allowed/requested by the professors.

Sleeping in class. If you begin to nod off in class please address this issue immediately by getting up, drinking water, and taking a bathroom break. Because, if you sleep during a lecture, you will be asked to leave. If it happens more than once, you will be asked to leave, and also given an “absent” mark. If you chronically fall asleep in class you are advised to address this issue with a medical professional. 

A Word about Unexcused Absences in Critiques

Sometimes, students who haven’t completed their projects skip class during critiques, because they are too embarrassed to come to class empty-handed. However: your participation on critique days is essential—even if your project is incomplete or nonexistent—because these sessions and conversations are critical in helping you understand criteria for good work. Even if your own project is unfinished, you are still expected to contribute productively to the class discussion. We take your attendance very seriously, and we take your attendance during critiques most seriously of all.

Lateness to the Final Exhibition

Our class’s end-of-semester exhibition is a special event in which we present our work to the public. It usually takes place in the STUDIO facility. With all of the competing requirements for space, tables, cables, computers, and special adapters, it requires several hours of preparation. For this reason we require everyone to arrive to install their project at least 60 minutes before the final exhibition — even if your project only takes 5 minutes to set up. Indeed, you may not be able to set up your work if you arrive five minutes before opening time. Showing up late to set up on the final exhibition day, without a prior arrangement confirmed by email, will cost you one letter grade (A→B). “Late” means: less than 60 minutes before the official exhibition opening time.