With the presidential election looming and record voter turnout expected at the polls, attendance policies for Election Day could be problematic for busy students this year.
While the University of Wisconsin does not enforce a universal policy, it does allow faculty members to instate their own take on attendance, according to Aaron Brower, vice provost for teaching and learning and professor of social work.
“What we are trying to do is encourage faculty to encourage their students to vote and to be very upfront about long lines,” Brower said. “And then faculty and instructors will need to make up their own mind about what they’re going to do.”
UW spokesperson John Lucas said the university has made a concerted effort to get students to register to vote early in order to avoid long wait times on Election Day, but students should still try to plan accordingly.
“It is my stronger sense that if you have a paper due or an exam … that it is unlikely that would necessarily be excused,” Lucas added. “But if you get stuck in line on the day of, and you explain it to them, I think they would be understanding.”
Only miles across the state border at the University of Minnesota, concerns have been raised about a policy not excusing students from class for voting but granting exceptions for such things as jury duty, illnesses and religious holidays.
“There are certain requirements that faculty do have to follow in granting excused policies, and it does call out elections — they are not included,” said Dan Wolter, director of university relations at the U of M. “Because polls are open the entire day [and] because there is absentee voting allowed, it is not necessary to cancel an entire day of classes.”
Wolter said students could certainly have a legitimate excuse for missing class on Election Day, so U of M officials are encouraging students to speak specifically with their professors to work out personal arrangements.
Additionally, Wolter said the situation really boils down to a “personal time management issue,” citing students need to learn to deal with their time just like any other citizen who works a 9-to-5 job.
According to Amy Burnicki, assistant professor of geography at UW, she tries to keep quizzes and activities from conflicting with known holidays, adding students can easily obtain course notes from peers who attended class that day.
Burnicki also said it is the personal decision of the student to miss class, but it is “tough” to cancel the entire class given there are so few class periods to begin with.
Brower said no matter what attendance policies professors decide to utilize, the main objective is to get to the polls and vote.
“It is a hassle, but it’s so worth it,” Brower said, comparing the process to donating blood. “Have you ever given blood? You know how after you give blood you just feel really good. It’s the same way, you’ll vote and you’ll feel very patriotic. It’s just a really good feeling. It couldn’t be more important and it’s so worth it.”
