I’m staring out my office window, a frequent occupation of mine, and notice that the last of the leaves are falling. As much as I miss them once they fall to the ground, I’ve been around long enough to know that they aren’t going to float back up into the trees and stick it out through the winter. I suppose I could take a picture and Photoshop them back onto the trees. Photoshop can do wonders (see my passport photo). Of course then I’d have to hang the photo over my window so I couldn’t see the real thing and the difference between the photo and reality would be depressing (see my passport photo). It’s time to face reality. Leaves fall. Faces fall. Students fall. We have to let nature take its course.
At this point in the semester you are aware that there are students on your class list who are no shows. They may pop in once in awhile but basically they aren’t around enough to successfully make it through the semester. You can deal with these phantom students in two ways -- you can withdraw them or you can grade them. The choice is yours.
If you choose to withdraw a student for non-attendance you have until Wednesday, November 25 to do it. Please note that this is the day before Thanksgiving and you may be busy doing other things that day — whipping up a dozen homemade pies (see Gourmet magazine), chasing a turkey around your backyard (see Guns and Ammo), making elaborate names tags from laminated fall leaves and glitter (see Martha Stewart Living), preparing your guest room with expensive accessories to pamper your company (Real Simple), or just wandering around your house looking for the freakin’ vacuum cleaner (see my house). Whatever you have planned, withdrawing students from your class is probably not top on your list.
Therefore, I would like to suggest that you take care of your withdrawals today! You can access your latest class list on line, make note of the ‘fallen leaves’, go to your grading page and enter a W and a last date of attendance. Voila! Faster than chasing down a turkey and much easier than finding my vacuum cleaner.
No student or faculty withdrawals will be processed after Wednesday, November 25th. After this date, all the students listed on your class list will need to be graded with the traditional A-F grades (no W’s!)
Print, cut and tape this on your computer:
Wed Nov. 25th—last day to withdraw students
Last date of attendance must be included for all withdrawals
Happy Thanksgiving!
Deborah Benjamin
Registration and Records
11/19/2009 |