The thread about Thanksgiving class cancellations got me thinking about this related question based on some of the responses: How often are your college student’s classes cancelled?
Mine has had zero unscheduled cancellations that weren’t listed on the course syllabus/schedule. She has had a “sub” a few times in her calc and chem lectures, where another prof who teaches a different section would give the lecture, but no cancellations.
Just curious if it’s common practice where your students attend?
Other than the very rare times that the university is closed due to snow - never. It’s not allowed. If the instructor is unable to attend due to illness, conference,etc., s/he is responsible for getting a replacement.
I have no idea. D has not mentioned it so I imagine if it has happened, it’s not often enough or she would’ve mentioned it. The only time I know for sure it happened was last year the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. She had a late afternoon class that got canceled but I think she knew a bit in advance.
Never at either of the universities mine attend. They just don’t cancel classes. One is off all Thanksgiving week and at the other school the Tuesday before Thanksgiving is a “soft Tuesday” so it’s not critical that they attend, but they do have class.
Oops, never say never, for the one in the Bay Area - they cancelled today and tomorrow because of poor air quality all around the Bay. Don’t think that counts in terms of OPs question though.
How would I know? I’m not there! I know sometimes there are blizzard/ice days. I can’t imagine profs or their school aged children don’t get sick occasionally. Sometimes family/friends of profs die unexpectedly, too. At a small school there isn’t a TA to take over, or even a colleague if the department is just a few people (your colleagues probably have classes or office hours scheduled already).
The handbook does not say that the sub needs to be of the same rank. If the course already has one or more TAs assigned, generally the head TA will take over. In courses without a TA, there’s generally a grad student, usually one of the professor’s advisees, that can pinch hit.
I’ve cancelled a morning class at the last minute without getting a replacement when I developed severe gastro distress involving well, unspeakable problems requiring a bathroom a few feet away. Another colleague had a daughter have a seizure during breakfast and called to cancel her class while in the ambulance. But these are hopefully once every 20 years type problems.
At our state U., the official policy prohibits cancellations, but I’ve heard from my son some Friday classes did get canceled (they have a break all next week).
My kid is doing his 2nd year dual enrolled as a senior. And it happened exactly once. The teacher was actually in the hospital in an emergency situation, so he had good excuse. And he distributed make up information later that week.
It’s rare. 20ish years ago I was teaching a seminar and I had pneumonia and pleurisy. I was in horrible pain but went to class anyway. I couldn’t sit so I sort of leaned on the seminar table. After 2 hours (of the 3 hour class) I finally gave in and dismissed class. In retrospect, I probably should have cancelled class that day, but canceling class is not something done lightly.
My son is in a theater program. There are cancellations when the profs are actually involved in a show. This past week, two of his classes, taught by the same prof, were cancelled because the teacher was out of town with a show. The teacher was aware of these before the semester began and built it into the syllabus. There was a group project in one class and the students were supposed to use this week’s class sessions to work on that. In the other class, a project due after the Thanksgiving break was assigned and they were supposed to use the class session time to work on it.
He’s also had occasional cancellations due to family emergencies or teacher illness.
The large state U where I live will cancel all classes after 3 on a weekday if there is a night football game. And all employees need to leave campus. Gotta have parking for the tailgates and football game…
Don’t think that counts in terms of OPs question though.