Attendance Policies

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All students must report to classes during the first week of classes. Students will lose their place in some classes if they do not attend the first class meeting. (See, for example, the “Notes” for biology and chemistry in the Schedule of Classes.)

The instructor has the right to set attendance requirements for the course, to keep attendance records, and to consider attendance in the calculation of final grades. Such attendance policies will be listed in the course syllabus. Students may not use absence from class as an excuse for not fulfilling all course requirements.

Students who have earned fewer than 15 credits of college-level work are limited in the number of cuts they may take in a course without risking a lower grade, as follows:

College Calendar: Schedule of Final Examinations A final examination is required in each course at the college during the examination period scheduled by the registrar, except in those courses in which the department has ruled that no examination shall be given. Since the final examination week is part of the semester hour requirement as mandated by the State Education Department, the period scheduled for final examinations should be used either for the final examination in the course or as an instructional period.

Students in an examination room may not have in their possession or within their reach any books or papers except those permitted by the instructor for use in the examination. Notes normally carried in pockets or handbags should be placed completely out of reach.

Students taking a drawing examination should bring their own implements. Students are not to possess an examination book at any time except during the examination period. Students should carefully fill out all information asked for on the front cover of every examination book used. If scratch paper is needed, students should use the back pages of the examination book; no other paper of any kind is to be used. All matter that is not intended to be read and marked by the examiner should be crossed out (but not torn out) before the examination book is handed in. No pages are to be torn from examination books.

The student is responsible for making sure that the instructor receives the examination book. Students may leave the examination room as soon as they finish. Quiet should be maintained in passing through the halls.

Students obliged to withdraw from an examination because of illness will be counted as absent from the examination and are permitted to take an absentee examination, as explained in the section on Incomplete Work in Course, above.

For information on absence from final examination for other reasons, see section on Incomplete Work in Course, above.

Suspension of Classes Announcements concerning emergency suspension of classes will be made on the following radio stations:

Additionally, announcements will be posted on the Hunter College Web site at http://www.hunter.cuny.edu.

Access to College Files The Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include the right to inspect the student’s education records; the right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading; the right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records; and the right to request that certain information not be released without his or her prior written consent by filing a letter with the Office of the Registrar. (see: Hunter College Students’ Rights Concerning Education Records)

Withdrawal from Part of Program The Board of Trustees has ruled that students have until the end of the third week of classes (or during the summer session, the end of the first week of classes) to drop a course without penalty. This period coincides with the refund period. The course will not appear on the student’s record. A student may withdraw officially, with a grade of “W,” between the end of the third week of classes and the first day of the tenth week of classes. (During the summer session a student may withdraw officially between the second week of classes and the first day of the fifth week of classes.) To do so, a student should obtain a withdrawal form from the OASIS. After the deadline, official withdrawals will be considered for approval by the Office of Student Services. Approval will be granted only when it is clear that the student has good and sufficient reason for withdrawing. Students should be aware that withdrawal from classes may have an impact on their financial aid. A student should make an appointment with an adviser in the Office of Student Services, Room 1119 Hunter East, before proceeding with the withdrawal process. The problem often has other solutions.

Unofficial Withdrawal When a student ceases to participate in a course but has not withdrawn officially, the student shall be deemed to have withdrawn unofficially. Evidence of unofficial withdrawal shall include all of the following: failure to attend class for at least four weeks consecutively (or during the summer session, two weeks consecutively) through the end of the semester (the last day of classes); failure to attend the final exam; and failure over this period to meet any other course requirements (e.g., to submit paper assignments and take examinations). The unofficial withdrawal (“WU”) by university regulations is equivalent to a grade of F. Cessation of attendance or unofficial withdrawal may also have negative financial aid consequences.

Withdrawal from College Students who become ill or who experience personal difficulties or a lack of interest that prevents their concentrating on college work, are encouraged to withdraw completely from college. Failure under such conditions can only make an eventual return to college more difficult. Deadlines for such withdrawals are the same as for withdrawals from part of the program (see above).

Such students should make an appointment to see a counselor in the Office of Student Services. Students must return books to the library and all college equipment to the department to which it belongs. Students who are unable to return to Hunter to withdraw in person should write or have someone else write to the Office of Student Services. The letter should contain (1) the name under which the student is registered at Hunter; (2) the Social Security number; (3) the return address and telephone number; (4) the reason for withdrawal, with appropriate documentation (medical, psychological or employee) and the last date of attendance; and (5) a copy of the Bursar’s receipt.

Students who stop attending without following the above procedures are considered to have withdrawn unofficially and will receive WUs, which are equivalent to Fs in computing the GPA.

Students whose GPA at the time of withdrawal is below the minimum required for continued matriculation shall be considered as having been dropped for poor scholarship. Students who have withdrawn from the college, officially or unofficially, must apply for readmission in the Office of Admissions, Room 203 Hunter North, at least three months prior to the semester in which they wish to re-enter.