ID-card readers will monitor class attendance at Northern Arizona University by fall, reports the Arizona Republic. In addition, NAU President John Haeger will “strongly encourage” faculty to require students to attend all freshman- and sophomore-level courses. Only 70 percent of NAU freshmen return for sophomore year. Haeger thinks more will succeed if they get in the habit of attending their classes.
In recent years, more faculty are making attendance part of their grades, influenced by research that links attendance and classroom success, some NAU professors said.
With fewer students coming to lectures, especially on Mondays, NAU chemistry professor Brandon Cruickshank started basing 10 percent of the final grade on attendance and participation. His classes are now 90 percent full.
Students who earn A’s almost always have 90 to 100 percent attendance, he said. Those with B’s average 80 to 100 percent. Students with C’s and D’s are all over the board.
Rachel Brackett, a sophomore, has started a Facebook group to oppose the use of proximity cards. So far, 1,300 students have joined.
“My biggest problem is we are here at college to learn to become adults,” she said. “I don’t think we’re all there maturitywise, but choosing to go to class is a stepping stone in maturity.”
Federal stimulus funds will pay the $75,000 cost to equip large classrooms — 50 seats or more — with sensors. In smaller classes, some professors use clickers to track student participation and attendance.
