The student government weighed a more flexible class attendance policy for University of Wisconsin students, which members said would allow for a universal policy throughout departments.
The Associated Students of Madison debated a new policy that would articulate additional criteria for events that are acceptable excuses to miss class in a meeting Wednesday.
University Affairs Chair Carl Fergus said UW currently has one of the worst policies in the Big Ten.
Fergus said there is currently a “hodgepodge” of attendance policies on campus because some departments leave the discretion of class attendance policy up to single professors on campus.
He said though faculty members are supposed to be considerate of student needs, they sometimes implement overly harsh attendance policies. The proposed class attendance policy will create a more unified university policy, he said.
Fergus added student athletes especially are often at a disadvantage in taking some classes because professors often create attendance policies that do not allow for an athlete’s schedule.
The new proposed policy would not penalize students for illness, athletic events, court subpoenas, jury duty, military duty, maternity or paternity leave and religious observances.
Fergus added the new policy is a replica of the policies currently in place at the University of Minnesota.
Vice Chair Adam Johnson said he was unsure of how this measure could possibly conflict with the University Health Services policy of not excusing students from class due to illness.
Fergus said if the new policy passes, ASM would contact UHS to discuss how to possibly reconcile this contradiction.
He added he would like to see Student Council members gauging support for the new policy around campus by asking for professor and department input.
“I want to encourage you all to go out and ask, ‘Would this be a huge burden on professors?’ ‘Would you be willing to accept this?’ ‘How would this affect your department?'” Fergus said. “We need to look around campus and see where we can find support for this.”
The Council will continue to discuss the new attendance policy at next week’s meeting.
Members also considered a new bylaw amendment that would bind Student Judiciary to consult precedent set by previous decisions in considering future rulings.
Chief Justice of the Student Judiciary Kathryn Fifield said this is a very important policy for the Student Judiciary and could directly benefit ASM as well.
“When the entire Student Judiciary makes decisions, those decisions have a bearing on future decision-making and we need to take responsibility for that,” she said.
Finance Committee Chair Matt Beemsterboer also introduced funding a nine-hour campus musical event called MadFest Music Festival, which would be sponsored by the student organization Students Socializing with a Purpose in April.
Beemsterboer said the details of the event are not fully developed, but ASM should move forward in supporting the event because of the rewarding cultural awareness and understanding it could promote among students.
He added the event is a minimal funding risk for the student government because if event planning falls through, ASM would receive all funding back.
Council members will continue the funding decision in their next meeting.
