Lab Attendance Policy

General Chemistry Policies and Procedures
Chemistry 121 Lab
General Chemistry Policies and Procedures
Attendance Policies
Lab attendance is mandatory, and is required to pass the General Chemistry courses. Students
with two or more missed lab periods will receive an automatic zero for the total laboratory score
and will not be allowed to pass the course. The Chemistry Department cannot un-register you
from the lecture course, so students who have missed two lab periods but do not wish to have a
failing grade on their transcript should withdraw from the course following the appropriate
university guidelines.
First Lab Policy
Missing the first lab meeting will result in automatic failure of the laboratory course. There is
important laboratory safety and policy information that is covered on the first day of lab that all
students are required to know. As a result, students who show up more than 15 minutes late on
the first day of lab or who miss the lab altogether will receive an automatic zero for the laboratory
and will not be able to pass the course.
Late Lab Policy
During the quarter, students who show up to lab more than 15 minutes late will be given an
unexcused absence and will NOT be allowed to perform the experiment. Important safety
information is delivered in the first 15 minutes and critical for your attendance to complete the lab.
If you show up to lab and are not prepared—either improper clothes, no goggles or lab coat, or no
lab manual printed out—you will have the first 15 minutes of lab to correct the policy infractions
or you will incur an unexcused lab and not allowed to perform the experiment.
Missed Lab Policies
Lab absences are taken seriously by the chemistry department and they should be taken seriously
be you as well. The General Chemistry Lab Coordinator is responsible for all make-up labs.
Lab Coordinator: Amy Cully
E-mail: [email protected]
Office: CB 200A (chemistry library)
Phone: (360) 650-2096
Lab attendance is mandatory to avoid failure of the course. Missed labs can be made-up under
special circumstances (see Considered for Make-Up Lab section below). Make-up labs are subject
to lab space availability and times. In addition, you are allowed only a single make-up lab per
quarter (exceptions can be made in some circumstances, such as for athletes, but this needs to be
discussed with the Lab Coordinator well in advance). If you are given a make-up lab, it will not
count as a “missed” lab period. Missing two or more lab periods during the quarter will result in
automatic failure of the course.
All make-up labs must be scheduled with the lab coordinator, no exceptions.
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Considered for Make-Up Lab (or Excused Lab)
The following reasons for an absence qualify for a make-up lab consideration. The list is not
inclusive and all final decisions are up to the lab coordinator.
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Official WWU sporting or academic events
Doctor’s appointments not easily re-arranged (foot surgery – yes, dental cleaning – no)
Medical emergencies (ER visits, car accidents)
Major illnesses (requiring medical attention)
Family emergencies (death in family, a medical emergency that requires your assistance)
Major job trainings that cannot be rescheduled
If you feel your anticipated absence qualifies as described above, contact the lab coordinator as
soon as possible to be considered for a make-up lab. Do not email your lecture or lab instructor
as they do not schedule make-up labs.
For scheduled events, you need to contact the lab coordinator at least one week in advance, the
earlier the better. You will also need to provide official documentation demonstrating your
absence is unavoidable (a letter from supervisor or coach, a doctor’s excusal note, etc.)
For unscheduled events (emergencies—family, medical, illness, etc.), you need to contact the lab
coordinator as soon as possible. Notifications made after your lab period may not be considered
for a make-up lab and will result in an unexcused missed lab.
If you have a cold or flu, you are required to either call or email the lab coordinator prior to your
lab period to inform of your absence. Emails made to your lab or lecture instructor or after your
scheduled lab period will result in an unexcused missed lab. Exceptions can be made if your
emergency prevents you from communicating with the lab coordinator in a timely fashion. All
final decisions for make-up labs will be made by the lab coordinator.
Lab Coordinator: Amy Cully
E-mail: [email protected]
Office: CB 200A (chemistry library)
Phone: (360) 650-2096
If you have a minor illness (headache, minor cold, etc.) and you are not contagious, you are
encouraged to attend your lab section anyway. If you find your illness impedes your ability or
makes it unsafe for you to complete the lab, the lab instructor will excuse you personally and notify
the lab coordinator. This will count as your documentation to be considered for a make-up or
excused lab.
Not Considered for Excusal (Unexcused Lab)
The following reasons for an absence do not qualify for a make-up lab consideration and will result
in an unexcused missed lab. Two missed labs (unexcused or excused) will result in failure of
the course. The list is not inclusive and all final decisions are up to the lab coordinator.
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Personal vacations
Forgetting lab
Arriving 15 minutes late
Not obtaining proper PPE (attire, goggles, lab coat) in the first 15 minutes of lab
No obtaining a printed lab manual in the first 15 minutes of lab
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Sleeping in
Intoxication/hangovers
Non-completion of an online module of a score at least 30%
Not showing up/Not informing lab coordinator of absence
If your missed lab qualifies as “not considered for excusal” it will be an unexcused missed lab.
Two or more missed labs during the quarter will result in failure for the chemistry course. For
CHEM121 courses, online modules count as a lab and you must earn at least 30% on the module.
If less than 30% is earned, this will result in an unexcused missed lab.
An unexcused missed lab will result in a zero score for the lab AND a penalty for missing the lab.
The penalty will be 100% of the lab score deducted from your total lab score. In general, this
means -10 points in CHEM 121, -15 points in CHEM 122, and -15 or -20 in CHEM 123.
Make-Up Procedure
If you believe you have a consideration for a make-up lab (see above), then you need to email the
lab coordinator as soon as possible using your @students.wwu.edu email account.
Lab Coordinator: Amy Cully
E-mail: [email protected]
Office: CB 200A (chemistry library)
Phone: (360) 650-2096
You will receive an email back with instructions to follow for arranging a make-up lab. Further
make-up labs will not be provided if the make-up lab is missed unless there are extreme
circumstances preventing your attendance.
In the event a make-up lab is not available and your excusal is accepted by the lab coordinator,
you will receive a full excusal from lab—the lab will not count towards your final grade in the
course. The pre-lab will count unless the reason for your absence also prevented you from
completing the pre-lab.
Other Information Regarding Lab Attendance
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
For pre-existing medical conditions or other special circumstances that might result in a sudden
incapacity or the inability to attend lab without much notice, it is recommended that you discuss
the situation with the Lab Coordinator in advance to determine how to handle the situation should
it arise. Documentation/explanation of your condition from an authorized professional is
recommended to help guide any decisions made by the Lab Coordinator.
Inclement Weather / Health Epidemics / University Shutdowns
If the university remains OPEN, then the assumption is that you can still make it to your scheduled
lab time. If you believe your specific circumstances prevent you from doing so, then you need to
contact the Lab Coordinator PRIOR to the lab period to make them aware of your specific
circumstances. You may still be required to bring some sort of documentation to verify your
specific circumstance.
If the university is officially CLOSED or shutdown as specified by the bulletin or e-mail, then you
are not required to come to lab, and will likely be given an alternate way to make-up those lab
points lost.
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Extended Medical Issues
For extended medical leaves of absence, you can obtain an official Medical Leave of Absence
from the Student Health Center. If this would cause you to miss more than one lab period,
however, this may have implications on your ability to pass the class and you should discuss your
options with the lecture instructor or the Lab Coordinator.
Student Life Office
The Student Life Office (http://www.wwu.edu/student-life) is a resource available to all students
on campus to help navigate through University life. There are a number of resources that can help
if you are struggling with any situation. They are available for providing documentation for nonmedical type issues. You can contact the Student Life Office via e-mail ([email protected])
or phone (360-650-3706), or simply go in person to their office in the Viking Union (VU 506).
Other resources include the Counseling Center (OM 540; 360-650-3164) or the Student Health
Center (Campus Services Building 202; 360-650-3400).
Course Withdrawal
If you drop this course after the end of Phase III registration but before week #2 ends, you may
drop the course and a “W” will appear on your transcript. If you drop this course after week #2
ends, but by the last day for late course withdrawal (check the registration calendar), go to the
Registrar Office in Old Main 230. If the Registrar’s Office determines that you still have a “late
withdrawal privilege”, they will withdraw you from the course and a “W” will appear on your
transcript.
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