In order to do satisfactory work and benefit from the educational program offered at Metropolitan Learning Institute (MLI), regular attendance at school is obligatory. Students are expected to be present and on time every day. Students who have good attendance generally achieve higher grades, enjoy school more, and develop better habits of punctuality, self-discipline, and responsibility for the future. Excessive absences are undesirable since they place undue strain on the student to make up the missing work, the teachers to provide make-up opportunities, as well as undermine the quality and validity of the classes for which students are seeking credit. MLI cannot give credit to students who have excessive number of absences.
The school reserves the right to immediately dismiss any student who is absent for more than 14 consecutive calendar days without proper written notice. Any student absent for 30 consecutive days will be automatically dismissed. MLI mandates that a student be in attendance at least 90% of the total theory hours (per course and sub-course) that classes are in session and 100% attendance for clinical experience. Faculty are required to monitor and record attendance in the classroom and clinical area to assure that attendance requirements are met.
Excused/unexcused absences that are not made up, comprising more than 10% of the total hours per course or sub-course, or more than 10% of the total program hours is a cause for immediate dismissal or termination from the program, as this signifies that the student has not met the 90% attendance requirement for graduation. A minimum of 1385 clock hours (NY) must be eventually completed in order for the student to be considered as a graduate.
The student is held responsible for informing faculty of any planned absence in advance. Permission to be absent from classroom and clinical/laboratory experiences will be granted only for serious reasons and must be obtained from the classroom or clinical instructor prior to the start of the session. If a student knows that he/she will be absent from classes/clinical area, he/she must call the school, classroom / clinical instructor or clinical site no less than 15-30 minutes before official class/clinical time.
Any student who is absent due to illness, appointments with official agencies, or for other serious reasons, should bring relevant documentation to the faculty of the course he/she is currently enrolled in and must provide a copy to the Education and/or Bursar’s office for filing. This documentation will be used to determine retention status and in deciding if a student will be permitted to do make-up hours. No student will be admitted back into class without proper documentation associated with absences (excused or unexcused).
Metropolitan Learning Institute will not tolerate lateness or any form of disruptive class attendance that undermines learning activities and professional discipline.Instructors note attendance for every instructional hour of a student’s program and record it in each student’s Permanent
Attendance Record. Upon completion of the course work, attendance is totaled to determine whether a student has satisfied the 90% attendance requirement for graduation.Prolonged excused absences will be dealt with on an individual basis.
Regular tardiness, leaving early and cutting classes in the classroom and clinical area disrupts the delivery of instruction, lowers the morale among students, and does not respect the learning needs of other students.A student who arrives in class ten (10) or more minutes late (classroom) or fifteen minutes late on two occasions (clinical), or leaves a class ten or more minutes before the end of a period, or cuts classes (leaves and comes back the same day) without proper notice will be marked absent (unexcused) for that instructional period.
With the goal of supporting student retention, Metropolitan Learning Institute has a make-up policy that allows a student who has been absent due to exceptional circumstances to make up any hours missed beyond 10% of the regular program hours. Any student whose attendance is substandard because of prolonged absence due to circumstances beyond his/her control, may apply to the Campus Manager or send a letter to the School/Program Director to request a make-up of missed work.
For make-up hours to be credited to a student’s attendance record, all make-up sessions for excused and unexcused absences must be completed, at the latest, by the end of the maximum time frame (150% of normal program time). While performing make-up work, the student must attend MLI at least 50% of normally scheduled time each week (13 hours minimum) and may not interrupt their make-ups by more than 9 days’ consecutive absences. There are no additional charges for make-up hours.
In the case of prolonged illness, accident, a death in the family or other exceptional conditions making attendance impossible or impractical, a student can apply for, and be granted a leave-of- absence upon request. Requesting a leave of absence must be done in writing and must include relevant supporting documentation. If the Campus Director approves the request, no monetary charges or absences will be added for the duration of the leave.
A written request for a leave of absence must be submitted to the School/Program Director. The student must specify the exact dates of the requested leave and the estimated time he/she is expected to return. A student who receives a leave of absence must return to MLI on the scheduled return date. Failure to return from an approved leave on or before the scheduled date will mean dismissal.
The student must contact the Admissions Office to clarify and/or determine the status of his/her school contract. A leave of absence will only be honored within the bulletin year of the start of the student contract. A new contract may be necessary if the requested leave goes beyond the existing student contract. The student must re-enter within this period of time to continue and must notify the school if he/she is unable to return.
The School/Program Director will contact or call the student for an interview, approves or denies the request and sends a written response to the student within 5 business days of the interview. The Director then forwards the request to the Admissions Office for filing. A duplicate copy will be put on the student file.
If the student is unable to re-enter within the bulletin year of the student contract and fails to notify the school, the student contract will be terminated and the student will be granted a refund according to the school’s refund policy. The student must apply and meet all requirements for re-admission if he/she wishes to continue with the program.
Reentry point for a student whose leave of absence is greater than thirty (30) days and whose leave was taken during a course/courses in which the student had not earned a final grade(s) will be based on the course material completed prior to the leave
Upon return, the student must meet with the faculty teaching the course to clarify attendance records and to get necessary updates.
The maximum period for a leave of absence is sixty (60) days and a student will be granted only one leave during the program of study. This time will not be extended for any reason.