By Audrey Wade, senior

Every week day students go to classes -- some because they want to but most because they have to.

Most classes at Friends University have some form of attendance policy. The policies vary from requiring attendance at all classes to only requiring attendance on test days.

Teachers have different ways of dealing with students who choose to not regularly attend classes.

Some make attendance required with three excused absences. Some demand attendance and only excuse an absence with a doctor’s note or death. Others appear to not care if the students show, until they begin to give daily quizzes and discussion points.

Whatever the policy might be, the students have different opinions on what should be required of them.

“Nothing against the teachers,” said Aaron Alumbaugh, a senior majoring in liberal studies. “They have a lot to say; they can teach us a lot. But if attendance is mandatory it needs to be questioned as to why.”

Why is attendance mandatory and why do the policies exist?

The University has three colleges: Graduate studies, College of Adult and Professional Studies and College of Business, Arts, Sciences and Education. Most of the students attending the University are under CBASE.

Within each college are several divisions like Religion and Humanities, Math and Sciences, and Fine Arts. Each of these divisions has its own general policies, but the real policies come from the professors, said Darcy Zabel, associate vice president of academic affairs.

Having an attendance policy is an easy way to ensure that students show up to class and learn something, but it may be more than just making sure students leave with a little knowledge.

“I feel that one of the benefits of a small college such as Friends University is the one-on-one relationships the students have with the professors,” said Zabel.

“Attendance allows that to become established. It helps them to get to know each other before things go wrong and helps professors to make exceptions that do not exist at large universities.”

But each professor has different requirements.

“I think the policies are lame,” said Kevin Johnson, junior. “I just feel like teachers are very inconsistent with their attendance policies. If they are going to exist, I think they should be school-wide.”

There is a problem with having a school-wide attendance policy though.

“Each area has different goals that need to be fulfilled,” said Zabel.

“It can depend on what type of course. Online, hybrid and web-enhanced classes have different requirements on seat time. It can depend on how many credit hours the class is worth.”

Blake Barber, a freshman political science major with a second major in Christian studies, said he wouldn’t skip a class that he thought he learned a lot from. At the same time he felt differently about some classes.

“If you can pass the class without showing, I think you should be rewarded,” said Barber.

Attendance for some students simply comes down to them growing up.

“Attendance policies do give incentive, but we are at an age of responsibilities,” said Katie Cline, a junior double majoring in psychology and sociology. “We should be held accountable but not by our grade.”