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Higher education

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Original poster

I haven't attended online seminars in a year - will I get kicked out?

38 replies

coolstef · 08/03/2022 13:55

'm in my 4th and final year at university and am due to finish in 2 months. It has been online for the past two years due to COVID. I have not set foot on campus since 2020.

I consistently sit at a 2.1 without much effort at all, I am fine with that and a 2.1 is what I am hoping to graduate with (on track for this). However, I haven't attended any online seminars this full academic year. It says the seminars are mandatory.

The reason I haven't attended is due to my experiences of online seminars last year I find them to be a complete waste of time. I gain nothing from them, learn nothing in them and would much rather focus my time elsewhere like on the actual assessments and my dissertation.

I have never been pulled up for my lack of attendance and always submit my work on time and as I said consistently get 2.1s.

However, my friend doing the same course has started to ask me am I not worried about getting kicked out due to my lack of attendance? I'd never really thought about it as no one has questioned me about it. I had a look at the uni policy and they said that they would give three chances before being kicked out and try and support you to engage more. Additionally, I am engaged with the course, this is shown in my work and working to the deadlines.

So am I being unreasonable to assume that since no one has been in touch they are not going to just kick me out of uni for not attending the seminars?

My personal tutor is very happy with me and says I'm the most hardworking student she's had this year.

OP posts:
spacehardware · 08/03/2022 13:57

I don't think anyone here can answer your question, and it's hard for you to raise whether this is an issue without potentially incriminating yourself

Don't know why you didn't just 'attend' them with camera off, whilst getting on with whatever you considered more important, but as you don't have a time machine that's a moot point

Tontostitis · 08/03/2022 14:00

Well it's too late now to worry. They obviously haven't noticed or you'd have a warning so the question is how lucky are you? It's too late to start logging in and hitting the 85/90% or whatever attendance you need so you might as well carry on as you are.

Original poster
coolstef · 08/03/2022 14:00

@spacehardware

I don't think anyone here can answer your question, and it's hard for you to raise whether this is an issue without potentially incriminating yourself

Don't know why you didn't just 'attend' them with camera off, whilst getting on with whatever you considered more important, but as you don't have a time machine that's a moot point

Because you still have to participate - camera on or off.
OP posts:
spacehardware · 08/03/2022 14:01

If you were meant to be participating, surely someone has noticed you weren't there?

Nothing you can do now

Original poster
coolstef · 08/03/2022 14:02

@Tontostitis

Well it's too late now to worry. They obviously haven't noticed or you'd have a warning so the question is how lucky are you? It's too late to start logging in and hitting the 85/90% or whatever attendance you need so you might as well carry on as you are.
Very true - I'm worried, however, that at the end of the course they will fail me due to not enough attendance. Not even sure if they can do that as the seminars aren't graded but worried they hold my degree from me.
OP posts:
Original poster
coolstef · 08/03/2022 14:03

@spacehardware

If you were meant to be participating, surely someone has noticed you weren't there?

Nothing you can do now

They take a register at the start of each seminar, that's why I'm so confused about the fact this hasn't been flagged up. I'm not sure if maybe they are being more flexible since it's online learning due to covid?
OP posts:
QuebecBagnet · 08/03/2022 14:03

Correct, they can’t kick you out if they haven’t followed their policy. They could try but you’d be able to appeal and you’d win. I suspect the lecturer isn’t taking an actual register for the online classes and marking everyone down as present because it’s easier. Hence why it hasn’t been flagged. Whatever the reason they have to follow their policy of giving you three chances.

burnoutbabe · 08/03/2022 14:06

Most people I know get emails if there attendance falls, checking they are okay etc

And students with visas do need to attend as a condition of their visa.

I imagine if they have not contacted you there will be no issue as they have not tracked it. I do know how you manage to do well without attending as we get exam tips there and good feedback.
I do find online crap at times due to lack of others participating and a sea of black screens. But it's less travel time for me as a mature student with job so I prefer it over in person mostly

Rachie20 · 08/03/2022 15:11

At the university I work at it would depend on your programme. Some e.g. engineering have attendance requirements and you would have been chased by now; others, e.g. business do not and so long as work is submitted and there is evidence of engagement such as use of VLE or library, then no problem.

OchonAgusOchonOh · 08/03/2022 15:17

@QuebecBagnet

Correct, they can’t kick you out if they haven’t followed their policy. They could try but you’d be able to appeal and you’d win. I suspect the lecturer isn’t taking an actual register for the online classes and marking everyone down as present because it’s easier. Hence why it hasn’t been flagged. Whatever the reason they have to follow their policy of giving you three chances.
They can't kick you out without following their procedures but there may be other implications. Some students in my dd's course were not allowed to sit their exam in a particular module as they hadn't attended enough lectures (80% I think). They had to repeat the module.

If attendance is compulsory, you will not meet the requirements to pass the module. Depending on the university/department they may or may not require you to repeat. I teach at the same university my dd attends and my department never stops students sitting exams for lack of attendance whereas her department do.

Erinyes · 08/03/2022 15:18

We would chase by email after two consecutive no-shows, but Covid online stuff has messed up the usual systems, and unless there’s a compulsory attendance component to any of these modules (in which case you’d surely have an email trail), you’re almost certainly fine as long as you’re meeting deadlines for written work. Every year we have a few students who are essentially only present on paper, but who do fine in assignments.

OchonAgusOchonOh · 08/03/2022 15:20

Oh, and the students who had to repeat were not contacted due to lack of attendance as attendance is a university requirement and so is parts of the T&C of registering for your course.

Rotherweird · 08/03/2022 15:22

I would imagine that if they haven't chased you up and given you a warning, it will probably be ok. I don't think they'd have a leg to stand on if they tried to kick you out at this stage, if they have been marking your work and letting you progress. The fact that you've been engaging with your personal tutor and she is giving you positive feedback would also make it difficult for them.

girlmom21 · 08/03/2022 15:28

Are the seminars posted online once they've been delivered?

Rickrollme · 08/03/2022 15:30

How many different places do you need to post the same question? It might be a better use of your time to just attend the required sessions.

SeasonFinale · 08/03/2022 15:56

Are the seminars also posted online for downloading. My DS's are and he never attends live but downloads them afterwards. If you were to download might this show that you have downloaded them and therefore show as "attending "

Original poster
coolstef · 08/03/2022 16:08

@Rickrollme

How many different places do you need to post the same question? It might be a better use of your time to just attend the required sessions.
Two places Smile
OP posts:
Original poster
coolstef · 08/03/2022 16:08

@SeasonFinale

Are the seminars also posted online for downloading. My DS's are and he never attends live but downloads them afterwards. If you were to download might this show that you have downloaded them and therefore show as "attending "
The lectures are posted but seminars are live and not recorded.
OP posts:
VikingsandDragons · 08/03/2022 18:39

I didn't attend a single lecture, study group, tutorial or any other face to face interaction in my 3rd year of uni, like you I got better results working from the materials and course books set. This was pre-covid, so no excuse other than I had a long term health condition which flared and I had to miss a few weeks, and I realised actually I did better not going to lectures! We had a similar attendance policy, it never came up because my grades were still good so they had no concerns and I graduated just fine.

VanCleefArpels · 08/03/2022 19:02

On my DD’s course most modules have a percentage mark relating to attendance eg 10% attendance, 50% coursework, 40% exam. That 10% could be the difference between grades at the end so is treated seriously.

YoComoManzanas · 08/03/2022 19:08

Wow. I have nightmares that I'm back in my final year of uni and had not attended any lectures or seminars. Eek!
Not very helpful but I'm not sure how you would be able to pass without accessing any course content.

Original poster
coolstef · 08/03/2022 19:11

@YoComoManzanas

Wow. I have nightmares that I'm back in my final year of uni and had not attended any lectures or seminars. Eek! Not very helpful but I'm not sure how you would be able to pass without accessing any course content.
I watch lectures and do the readings of course.
OP posts:
Orchidsonthetable · 08/03/2022 19:32

Op have you checked how the award classification is calculated and if there is an attendance element?

I am not sure the risk is being chucked out, I suspect the actual risk is you do not get sone marks due to non attendance. Many universities do this now, as attendance is one of the scores they are rated on.

I’d be looking to understand if there is an attendance allocation used to calculate the final award.

Original poster
coolstef · 08/03/2022 19:41

@Orchidsonthetable

Op have you checked how the award classification is calculated and if there is an attendance element?

I am not sure the risk is being chucked out, I suspect the actual risk is you do not get sone marks due to non attendance. Many universities do this now, as attendance is one of the scores they are rated on.

I’d be looking to understand if there is an attendance allocation used to calculate the final award.

No I have went through all the handbooks, attendance policies and how they determine classifications. There is nothing that says attendance will affect final grade. It says if you aren't engaged they give you three warnings and then you may be removed from the course, that's all I can find.
OP posts:
Orchidsonthetable · 08/03/2022 20:29

I’m not sure why you are giving me a snippy answer. Confused

And I never suggested you go through everything. Usually there is one simple paragraph which explains how degree classifations are comprised.

But you do you and leave it for a surprise at the end.