Opinion on syllabus statement

So in my lab class, the syllabus states we are allowed to miss one lab as long as we have an excuse (doctor’s note, death in immediate family, etc.) and the grade will be dropped. I had an adverse reaction to a medical procedure I received about 3 days before my lab class (procedure Friday, lab Monday) that caused me to miss lab and go back to the doctor for treatment. I speak to my professor about it next time I see him and give him a doctor’s note. He tells me he doesn’t even need to see the doctor’s note and tell me he’ll be giving me a zero for the lab.

That 0 has brought my grade down from an A to a B. Is this something worth arguing for or is it in the professor’s right to give me that zero even though I had a valid excuse?

Well, you **would/b get a zero for the lab (you missed it after all) , but, per your post, the lowest grade is dropped. So, there should be no issue if this is the only lab you missed.

Did the syllabus also mention the need to contact the prof before the missed lab? Or was this your second missed lab? Otherwise I would bring it to his attention that you believe your excuse is covered by the language in the syllabus.

One grade will be dropped, so you’re fine as long as you don’t miss any more labs. Hope you’re feeling better!

OP, have you completed the class and received the final grade? If the class is ongoing, you may see a zero for the lab but it should be dropped when the final grade is determined.

It seems like the grade is only dropped if op has a valid excuse, the wording doesn’t make it seem automatic.

The OP has a valid excuse and a doctor’s note to verify. Now, if the OP comes back and states that the instructor is not accepting the excuse as valid, and the syllabus reads more or less as was quoted to us, then the OP needs to follow the grade grievance procedure that is in place for the college. So if talking to the instructor does not resolve the issue, s/he needs to go to the next level, which is undoubtedly explained I the student handbook, and varies by college.

I think from the Professor’s perspective they have designed the course so that 1 lab can be dropped…that is why s/he doesn’t need to see your note…they don’t want to get in to the medical verification process. They will just drop the score. They set up the course this way so that when life happens, it won’t affect you too much. However, they don’t want people to blow off class for no particular reason…so if there is a “valid” reason in the future they won’t have squandered it.