09/18/2006

 
A student writes:

        Profesor Patt,
                 
        I am one of your numerous students in EE306, and I am not 
        going to make it today because I must bring something back 
        home to <<city close to Austin, deleted>> today. Do you have 
        any preferred ways of catching up for a missed class besides 
        asking peers? 

        Thank you.

        <<name withheld to protect the absentee student>>


Nope.  Asking peers is the correct answer.  Reading the textbook has
also been known to help.

There are all kinds of reasons for not attending class, and I would 
never presume to evaluate whether any student's reason is a good one 
or a bad one.  That is up to the student.

There are reasons that are overwhelmingly such that I will say, please
do what you have to do, and see me when you get back so I can help you
as much as possible.  Death of a grandparent, in the hospital with mono, 
are examples that quickly come to mind.

Most reasons, however, are not of this ilk.  In such cases, I say, 
the decision is up to you -- we do not take attendance.  But getting 
caught up is also up to you -- we do not have enough TAs to give you 
special treatment.

Good luck with these decisions as to when to come to class, and more
importantly, good luck earning an A+ in 306.

Yale Patt