Class Rolls
Preliminary Class Rolls
It is important to provide accurate information about student attendance during the first weeks of class even if an instructor does not have a formal attendance policy. Instructors should familiarize themselves with a class prior to the first meeting to get a general sense of the composition (e.g., size, majors, classifications, and names). The most up-to-date class roster is available through Blackboard (learn.unt.edu) or myUNT (my.unt.edu):
- Click on the [Faculty] tab
- Then select [Access Your Faculty Center]
- Choose the current term
- Select a course from the list
- Select the “people icon” in the left-most column of that list
The roster may be downloaded as a comma-delimited file by clicking on the small “checkerboard” symbol with a red arrow in the corner. The resulting file can be opened in any spreadsheet program, such as Excel.
Audit Rolls
Early in the semester (usually the 12th class day for long semesters and the equivalent class day for short semesters), UNT takes a census of all students currently enrolled for purposes of reporting to the state. On or about this date, a new column with an icon for an “audit roll” will appear in the myUNT faculty center list of courses. Clicking on this icon will reveal a list of all students who are registered for the class on the census date. For each student on the list, the instructor must check a box indicating that the student has attended at least once or a box indicating that the student has never attended. At the bottom of the audit roll, there is space to list students who have attended class but who are not officially enrolled.
Instructors should carefully follow the directions for completing and submitting the audit roll. These audit rolls are often referenced for state and federal reporting purposes and may be audited by the financial aid office to ensure compliance with state and federal financial aid rules and regulations.
Helpful Hint: To facilitate taking attendance in large classes, consider using a sign-in sheet. A simple list of student names with check-off boxes can be circulated quickly and without class disruption. If you are only taking attendance to certify your audit roll, you can remove students from the list after they check in once, so you are ultimately left with a short list of the students who never attended at all.
Dropping Courses
Students who wish to drop a course before the census date (12th class day during long semesters) may do so without permission; they may do so online by visiting my.unt.edu or in person at the Registrar’s Office (in the Eagle Student Services Building). After the 12th class day (or the equivalent class day for short semesters), students must first receive written approval of the instructor prior to dropping a course.
A grade of W (withdrawal) will be recorded for any course dropped during the automatic W period. After that time, the student must have a passing grade in order to receive a grade of W for a dropped course; otherwise, the grade will be WF (withdrawal/fail). Instructors mark either a W or WF designation on the student’s drop form.
Helpful Hint 2: Include one or two assignments, quizzes, and/or tests that must be completed prior to the 12th class day in your syllabus. This completed work provides the basis for determining whether or not a student who wishes to drop a course has obtained a passing grade up to that point. Completing a drop form by assigning a W or a WF then becomes an easy and justifiable decision. The grades for this assignment also establish attendance, which can be useful for completing audit roles (see above).
Early feedback is critical to student success and helps students make informed decisions regarding withdrawals. Assignments early in the course also can provide the instructor a basis for determining whether a student who drops receives a grade of W or WF. Generally students may not drop a course after the Tuesday of a given semester’s 10th week (the summer term has 15 class sessions); exceptions to this general rule are quite rare and made only under extreme circumstances. Drop deadlines specific to each semester/term are published in the Academic Calendar (calendar.unt.edu/event-calendar/Academics).
Instructors may drop students with grades of WF from courses for nonattendance at any time after the automatic W period if they have advised students in writing of this policy.
Dropping All Courses –
Student Initiated Withdrawal from the Semester
Students needing to drop all of their courses for the semester must visit the Dean of Students’ office (Stovall Hall, Room 150) during office hours for assistance. After the census date (12th class day during long semesters), students will meet with a Dean of Students’ staff member during office hours to complete their withdrawal.
During the meeting students will:
- Be advised of implications of withdrawal.
- Be informed of any obligations they may have with UNT or need to fulfill prior to withdrawing.
- Complete the withdrawal form and other necessary documents.
The Dean of Students office can only withdraw students from the first class day until the official last day to withdraw as set by the University calendar. Prior to the first class day, students wishing to cancel their courses for the semester must contact the Registrar’s Office. After the last day to withdraw, students must seek out their Academic Dean for possible approval for a late withdrawal.
Students enrolled in online-only classes may request to withdraw in person, via email (deanofstudents@unt.edu), or by fax (940.369.8440). Students may be asked to complete additional forms and steps after their initial request is received.
The online-only student must include the following in the request:
- Name
- Student ID number
- Semester & courses to be dropped
- Email Address
- Phone number
- Written signature (digital signatures cannot be accepted)
For more information on the withdrawal process and deadlines, please visit deanofstudents.unt.edu/withdrawals.