Faculty Agrees to Slash Filed Attendance Lists

The filing of upperclass attendance records in the Dean's Office was officially abolished yesterday as the faculty approved further relaxation of attendance rules. This vote will immediately eliminate attendance-taking from about six courses.

Henceforth monitors will report attendance only in the 91 courses "regularly open to freshmen" which have a total enrollment of 50 or more undergraduates.

Only freshman attendance will go to the Deans via the Registrar's Office; attendance records for upperclassmen taking "elementary" courses will be available in the Registrar's Office for Senior Tutors to consult if they wish.

Revised Excuse System

This is the latest move in the decentralization of the Dean's Office that began with the appointment of the eight Allston Burr Senior Tutors last spring. Earlier this month the Student Council recommended retaining sophomore attendance records.

Like the Council, the faculty also approved the centralization of the excused absence system in the Registrar's Office. There is no change in the procedure for obtaining excuses--the College will still collect them from the medical department, the H.A.A., and the Senior Tutors.

Now, however, it will be up to the student, not the Senior Tutor, to see that instructors are notified of an excused absence. Undergraduates will have to in form the Registrar's Office when excused from any exams.

Exceptions Possible

After much debate the faculty added an amendment to increase the flexibility of the attendance rules. Since some of these "freshmen courses"--especially languages and classical ones--contain mainly upperclassmen this year, the Administrative Board is empowered to make exceptions to the rule, if it wishes and if asked by the instructor.

Under the 1948 rules, attendance was taken in the courses "regularly open to freshmen" and those in which the majority of students were currently freshmen. By yesterday's decision, however, attendance in such courses as Economics 1 and History 61 will no longer be reported.

Back to 30's

Relaxation of strict attendance requirements started in the 1930's, but with World War II compulsory attendance returned. The Army and Navy reserve groups stationed here needed attendance records, so on February 9, 1943 the faculty voted "required attendance at all College exercises."

In April, 1948, the faculty ruled that "the taking of attendance in courses primarily composed of juniors and seniors shall be given up."