By: Amanda Allen
Whether you study at Camden County or at any university around the world, its strict and sometimes unjust attendance policies have students leaving each morning or afternoon unsettled. Grueling hours and long hard days keeping you awake and unable to attend your class? Is it the long awaited vacation that you’ve been planning for all year? Or is it a grandmother, grandfather, or distant relative you’ve just got word has passed? Well, be that as it may, accidents and mishaps happen all the time. Class, some believe should be an enjoyment, not a hassle, and let alone a tedious process. Camden County College is no different from any other universities or community colleges. Its walls are filled with freshman, sophomore, decided, undecided, and those who go back just to learn a little bit more. No matter what the major or the enjoyment many feel colleges try an offer plenty for one to choose from. According to Camden County Community College’s handbook, for the spring semester of 2009, they offer about 50 pages of courses for students to look through and explore. However, with all the courses offered, the curriculum of universities and colleges alike doesn’t seem to be what plagues students. I asked a young gentleman who goes by the name of Dwayne Leon Cotten a few questions concerning his belief on attendance policies in general. Dwayne proceeded to give me a little background by telling me he resides in Browns Mills, NJ and attended Pemberton High school. Furthermore, Cotten states, “It’s not fair”. He feels that because he is a 23 year old adult male why should a teacher be so concerned with whether he attends his or her class. I continued the discussion by asking Cotten about how he felt about teachers having “no” attendance policy and students suffering if they decide not to conduct class. He was adamant in saying, “they get paid, whether I show or not. Students are paying for a service.” It wasn’t enough to make a conclusion. So I then asked a young woman who attends Camden County College’s Blackwood Campus as an Addictions Counseling major. Monique Pollard, 19 brought a new light to the topic by stating, “what if the student can’t make it due to child care?” Pollard feels you can’t plan sickness or a just a bad day. In order to separate policy from fact or fiction, I needed to ask someone who knows whether a policy is even in place, and if there is, why only for some classes. Dr. James Canonica, Ed. D. gave me all the answers any student would need. Dr. Canonica states, “No, there isn’t a specific policy for attendance, only policy is in the student handbook, which is only pertaining to religion.” Canonica further explains, “the policy is simply whatever the teacher presents in their syllabus.” There you have it, black and white, there simply is no policy. It is all according to the teacher and their preferences. No policy, no problems, no issues.