From a young age, we have been taught to value good attendance: awards in grade school, punishments for tardiness and promises of future success all reinforce its importance. While some students feel the mandatory attendance is tedious, the policy is paramount to our success.   

ULM is required to adhere to federal financial regulations, which stipulates that students must attend 75% of their classes, otherwise, they will automatically fail. This measure seeks to make giving out financial aid less risky. A student who attends class often is more likely to pass than one who does not; by encouraging attendance, the chance that a student waste federal aid by failing is significantly lowered.  

For a class that meets twice a week, you would have to miss an entire week of classes to fail—imagine how much is taught during that time. If I miss even one day, I feel light-years behind in class. Some students question why this rule applies to them if they do not receive aid, but this policy is meant to give everyone a fighting chance.   

Students are well aware of how expensive college is; having mandatory attendance also saves us money. We pay thousands for the privilege of attending classes—skipping them is the same as throwing money into a fire pit.   

Nursing student Myra Brown says, “Why pay to go to class and not show up?” Eventually, loans come from our pocket in the future. Not only are we losing money, but we are also missing out on opportunities for higher education.  

While the policy is meant to be helpful, staunch enforcement can make higher education inaccessible to students with disabilities. One of my peers suffers from chronic migraines and must occasionally miss class. Some professors overemphasize the importance of attendance by making it a weighty part of the grades. Interpretations of the policy such as these force this peer to choose between risking her heath or her grades.  

ULM’s policy helps us prepare for future careers that have even harsher consequences for poor attendance. It is easier to bounce back from flunking out than losing a job (I have experienced both struggles). Though some professors enforce the policy in ways that can harm students, mandatory attendance is beneficial to everyone involved.