Learn more about the new requirement for last date of attendance

Beginning in spring 2020, there will be a new grading requirement for all instructors to provide the last date of attendance for any student with a grade of “F” or “U” in a course. This new procedure is in response to the U.S. Department of Education’s requirement for the Office of Financial Aid to determine if a student who receives financial aid and fails to earn a passing grade in a course has actually attended and/or completed the course.

Information sessions about entering the last date of attendance in Banner will be offered at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 20, in the College of Health and Human Services, Room 122, and at 3 p.m., Tuesday, Jan 14, in the Cato College of Education, Room 102.

Failure to provide evidence of attendance in these situations could prevent a student from receiving financial aid for that course. Since the course instructor is the only person who can document whether a student attended class or participated in an academic activity, the instructor must provide this documentation.

However, course instructors are not required to take attendance in their classes. Those instructors who do not take attendance should provide the date of the student’s last known academic activity (such as a quiz, assignment, paper, online discussion, etc.). Not every activity will count toward attendance, so instructors should become familiar with possible scenarios and FAQs.

“This new requirement provides an opportunity for instructors to assign activities throughout the semester to provide students with regular academic feedback, which may improve students’ success in the course,” said Joan Lorden, provost and vice chancellor of Academic Affairs.