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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

The Homeless Cats Can Wait—Late Withdrawals Part 2


In the last article I discussed the three roads to withdrawals and, in a dignified and charming way, BEGGED you to either give non-attendees an “F” at the end of the semester or to withdraw them prior to the withdrawal deadline of April 27. I tried to make it clear that leaving a student’s grade blank or giving them a withdrawal during grading was not the appropriate way to deal with no shows.

You can actually deal with your no shows and lax attendees TODAY. Just get into your class list and pretend it is the end of the semester. Is there anyone on the list who you don’t know, barely remember or suspect has dropped out of your class? If you were grading these students today would you be tempted to leave their grade blank rather than give them an “F”? If so, please withdraw them immediately. Do not try to find out who was booted off American Idol, do not check the extended weather forecast, do not go to the Animal Rescue Site and press a button to feed six homeless cats UNTIL you have withdrawn these no show students. With the exception of the starving cats, everyone will be better off.

Everyone should have this ‘note to self’ posted on their computers:

Today through April 27: Give “W”s to non-attendees and lax attendees who are failing my class.

May 18- May 29: Whoops, I missed the withdrawal deadline. It’s too late to give “W”s so now I need to give non-attendees an “F”.

May 30: #&%**$^#&$^#$*%#%#

Odd as it may be, there are some people who do not read the MCC Tribune on a daily basis. Please take a moment to think of all the people you know who do not read the Trib and make a copy of this article (and the previous one) for them. This act is so important that I’m sure you can enter it under your ‘Service to the College” section of your Annual Faculty Development Report. I certainly plan to!

Watch for Part 3 of the withdrawal series coming next week!

Deborah Benjamin
Registration and Records
04/05/2007