Are colleges supposed to give president's day off? [Archive]

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Mystic Muse

2013-02-18, 04:22 AM

TaiLiu

2013-02-18, 04:29 AM

...hopefully I'll just get sick so I don't have to go. X.x

You would rather be vomiting than to go to your classes...? If you really need a day off, just take the day off.

pffh

2013-02-18, 04:34 AM

Wait where are you that has mandatory attendance in college?

Mystic Muse

2013-02-18, 04:37 AM

You would rather be vomiting than to go to your classes...? If you really need a day off, just take the day off.

Well, not THAT bad. Just bad enough that I don't have to go. :smalltongue:

More like an upset stomach.

Eh, I'd rather not skip class if I don't have to, and I'd rather not lie about being sick, or lie to my ride "Hey, it's Presidents day, I have the day off." or anything.

Wait where are you that has mandatory attendance in college?

"Attendance is very important. Students are expected to attend all classes. "

Not mandatory, but not a good way to get in the teacher's good graces.

TaiLiu

2013-02-18, 04:53 AM

Hm. Wikipedia says that it's optional (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidents_Day_(United_States)#section_2).

Many colleges and universities hold regular classes and operations on Presidents Day.

Mystic Muse

2013-02-18, 04:55 AM

Darn.

Eh, I might skip tomorrow anyway. One day won't kill me or my grade. The only thing that's graded are the exams and homework anyway. Given that the exam isn't until next Wednesday, and the homework is all online, I think I can miss a day.

Don Julio Anejo

2013-02-18, 05:02 AM

We're not getting the day off. In fact, tomorrow is the first day back from spring ("reading") break.

...Although could be that we're in Canada :tongue:

Keris

2013-02-18, 01:06 PM

Gonna say this: in college/university, skipping a day does not mean it's a day off. You need to learn a set amount of stuff to pass your exams. Whether you learn it at home or in class doesn't really matter, so long as you learn it.

But in my experience, it's a lot easier to get into a learning mindset while at Uni, plus if you're struggling with a topic then being able to ask classmates or the lecturer for help is invaluable.

Not that this doesn't stop me from skipping the odd lecture now and then though.

snoopy13a

2013-02-18, 01:29 PM

Wait where are you that has mandatory attendance in college?

In most American undergrad systems, it is up to the professor. Some subscribe to the "sink or swim" theory in which they don't take attendance, figuring if someone doesn't show up for class then it is their own fault (and if they are able to learn on their own, then good for them). Others demand attendance and may have sign-in seats or a seating chart to take attendance.

In small classes, where class discussion is important, attendance is usually mandatory (if there are only 15 or so students in the class, then you want everyone to be there). Of course, one is excused for things like illnesses, job interviews, and family emergencies.

Post-undergrad programs can vary widely. For example, the American Bar Association mandates that law students should attend class. This mandate isn't always followed by law professors, but it exists. It makes sense for law school since classes are traditionally taught via the Socratic method--which requires class attendance and preparation to work. Not all law professors use the Socratic method, however.

From what I hear about medical school, it is the opposite, and some students will actually skip class because they believe that it is more efficient for them to study on their own terms (or even to listen to the tape-recorded lectures at a faster speed to save time :smalleek: ).

Haruki-kun

2013-02-18, 01:33 PM

Wait where are you that has mandatory attendance in college?

In college you've reached a point in your life where the instructors are no longer tasked with caring about where you are if you miss class. They're just tasked with instructing you.

IMHO skipping class in college without justification is a terrible idea.

Besides, skipping class is also not an excuse for not bringing in the assignment the next class.

Flickerdart

2013-02-18, 01:44 PM

We're not getting the day off. In fact, tomorrow is the first day back from spring ("reading") break.

...Although could be that we're in Canada :tongue:
Odd, we're only starting reading week today here.

Anarion

2013-02-18, 05:48 PM

Mystic Muse

2013-02-18, 06:11 PM

Well, I ended up feeling sick, so I didn't have to go today. That was convenient.

Jenfrag

2013-02-18, 07:02 PM

You would rather be vomiting than to go to your classes...? If you really need a day off, just take the day off.

That's right, in college students sometimes make their own decisions and policies. :smallbiggrin:

Eldan

2013-02-19, 11:59 AM

How do you even check attendance in a college lecture? Wouldn't it take half an hour to even check all the names?

Flickerdart

2013-02-19, 01:36 PM

How do you even check attendance in a college lecture? Wouldn't it take half an hour to even check all the names?
One of my classes did exactly that. The class was about 90 people, so it didn't take terribly long but, well, yeah.

IdleMuse

2013-02-19, 01:51 PM

In all my lectures they just handed around the register for everyone to sign, as the lecture was going on. It woul dhave reached the back by about half way through.

Kneenibble

2013-02-19, 01:54 PM

We're not getting the day off. In fact, tomorrow is the first day back from spring ("reading") break.

...Although could be that we're in Canada :tongue:

Most Much of Canada has Family Day or a local variant that coincides with President's Day, though. In Manitoba we have Louis Riel Day. It's a stat holiday and the Universities are closed.

snoopy13a

2013-02-19, 01:57 PM

How do you even check attendance in a college lecture? Wouldn't it take half an hour to even check all the names?

Either through a sign-in sheet or through assigned seats and a seating chart. Obviously, this would be difficult in a large lecture class, but it easy in a class under 100.

Forrestfire

2013-02-19, 02:04 PM

How do you even check attendance in a college lecture? Wouldn't it take half an hour to even check all the names?

Some classes use clickers to ask questions and record attendance based on that. I've had several 250+ classes that have a seating chart, so the TAs walk up the aisle during the lecture and if your seat is empty it's marked absent.

I've had passed-around attendance sheets, etc.

Anarion

2013-02-19, 04:24 PM

Some law school classes take attendance. As Forestfire notes, it's usually a TA checking the seating chart. Law school professors also cold-call people at random, so woe be unto you if you happen to not be in class the one day you get randomly called.

noparlpf

2013-02-19, 05:42 PM

I've noticed that a lot of other places, including the college of a friend of mine, give Presidents day off. Is this a policy all colleges are supposed to abide by, or is it strictly optional?

not that I dislike math exactly, but I could use a day off. If they won't have it off, hopefully I'll just get sick so I don't have to go. X.x

My university doesn't have off for it. We get five days a semester. Fall semester is usually Labor Day and three days for Thanksgiving, Spring semester I guess we get a week off in late March.
My old school was private, didn't give any of the national holidays except MLKJr Day, but we got a full week about every six weeks. I miss it. They're having one now, without me.

Wait where are you that has mandatory attendance in college?

Where I go it depends on the teacher. Professors are allowed to fail you for as little as missing two classes in the semester if they want to make such a strict attendance policy.

warty goblin

2013-02-19, 11:19 PM

Where I go it depends on the teacher. Professors are allowed to fail you for as little as missing two classes in the semester if they want to make such a strict attendance policy.

When I took complex analysis I was told it was a post-core 300 level math class, and attendance was mandatory.

When I took advanced prob/stat I was told it was a post-core 300 level math class, so I could show up or not, whichever worked best for me.

Androgeus

2013-02-20, 02:24 AM

We had a system for one of our lecture where you would swipe your matric card on a system by the door near the start of the lecture.

Given that the exam isn't until next Wednesday, and the homework is all online, I think I can miss a day.

If you weren't actually ill, I would say missing classes the week before an exam may not be the best plan unless you know the material 100%.

Mystic Muse

2013-02-20, 02:48 AM

If you weren't actually ill, I would say missing classes the week before an exam may not be the best plan unless you know the material 100%.

I felt ill pretty much all day. I Slept in until 3 in the afternoon, and I had an upset stomach and really funky feeling in my head until about 9 at night.

Androgeus

2013-02-20, 07:54 AM

I felt ill pretty much all day. I Slept in until 3 in the afternoon, and I had an upset stomach and really funky feeling in my head until about 9 at night.

The "If you weren't ill" bit wasn't meant to be judgemental or anything, it was more there to point out that I believe illness is a legit reason to miss things

Ceric

2013-02-22, 07:26 PM

My college gave the day off and it's a state university, where one of my friends in a private university regularly doesn't get the same days off that we do. I've always figured it's only government businesses that are required to give government holidays off.

noparlpf

2013-02-22, 07:27 PM