On Sept. 29, VSU sent a message to all currently enrolled students about attendance and participation that stated “[f]aculty have reported concerns over regular student attendance in the classroom and/or online participation in your coursework.  

“Whether online or face-to-face, a student who misses or does not participate in more than 20% of the scheduled course or course activities could be subject to receiving a failing grade in the course. 

“Attendance and participation are a minimum expectation for class success. All students are responsible for knowing the specific attendance/ participation requirements as prescribed by their instructors and for the satisfactory make-up of missed work. 

“When students are compelled for any reason to be absent from or unable to participate in class, they should immediately contact the instructor.” 

At The Spectator, we believe that messages like the one mentioned should be directed to students who are experiencing attendance issues, as the general message caused unnecessary distress for many students.  

The message left several students visibly upset, with some even reaching out to classmates and professors to ask whether it had been sent to them personally — highlighting the confusion and emotional impact it had across campus. 

All students are familiar with the campus-wide attendance policy, as it is reviewed during the first week of each class every semester.  

As students, we believe it is the students’ responsibility to manage any consequences related to their attendance. 

Given that VSU has reduced the number of online classes, we also believe that pushing for near-perfect attendance is contradictory. A majority of currently enrolled students live off campus, work jobs, have responsibilities outside of classes, or face health challenges — such as preexisting conditions and weakened immune systems — that make exposure to illness especially risky. 

If VSU plans to release another campus-wide message, we believe it’s important to clearly state that it is a general announcement. This would help prevent confusion and reassure students that they are not being singled out.