Can a professor tack on penalties for attendance if they're not listed in the syllabu

College Confidential Community
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<p>Can a professor tack on penalties for attendance if they're not listed in the syllabus? We have had three assignments (I scored 95%,94%, and 92%), and she has me listed as only having 60% overall for the course. I have missed a lot of days (I go maybe once a week considering the nature of her lecture and the lack of difficulty on the assignments. I asked her via email once I logged on to find this score and she said, "John-Michael you're never in class when I take attendance", I know I'm never there, sine no penalties are listed I only go when assignments are due. If I had read about a penalty I would be sure to attend as I worry about my grade. THis isn't compulsory education but I understand that some professors count attendance towards the grades, however they have such things listed into he syllabus..</p>

<p>Do I have a stance with which to go to the Dean?</p>

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<p>Does the syllabus have any kind of admonition against attendance, even if there are no explicit penalties?</p>

<p>I would say talk to the professor first, and explain your point of view to her. Can you talk to her and ask that if you have, say, stellar attendance she’ll raise it up? Beyond that, how is the professor generally regarded in the department? Is this course in the school of your major (will you be seeing them for the next four years), or is this a general ed. core course?</p>

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<p>A professor can do whatever they want in their classroom, more or less. They are basically the king, the judge, the jury, your teacher and your mother all rolled into one.</p>