Robert Bradley | Assistant Professor of Athletic training

Tell me if you’ve ever heard something like this: “If a professor is late to class, students have to wait for the professor to arrive. In addition, the amount of time students must wait depends on the professor’s degree. For example, if the professor has a master’s degree, students must wait 10 minutes. If the professor has a doctorate, they must wait 15 minutes.” 

Well, students, I have some news for you: this is not a university policy. This “rule” is a myth that dates back to who knows how long, and it is not specific to any known school. Over my decades as a professor, and even when I was a student, I’ve heard waiting times ranging from as little as 5 minutes to as much as 30 minutes. 

If you have a professor who is routinely late to class, that is a sign of poor professionalism. Not necessarily a moral failing, but perhaps poor planning or poor time management. If it happens once a semester or once a year, it’s not a major issue. 

After all, who hasn’t encountered an occasional situation that causes them to be late? However, if a professor is chronically late, such as once a week or more, let them know by mentioning it in their course evaluation or, better yet, by informing their supervisor. 

On the flip side, don’t expect a professor to wait for you unless you communicate with them beforehand. A professor doesn’t know whether you are coming to class, so they have no reason to delay starting. Many professors, instructors, deans, and provosts care about attendance and believe it matters. Some professors don’t care. 

Attending college classes is something you voluntarily agreed to do. You chose to attend college. Even if a class is not one you enjoy, you are still paying for it, and the college expects you to pass it so that you can earn your degree and pursue your goals. 

This isn’t high school, where students often ask themselves, “When am I ever going to use this information?” Many times the information from one class prepares you for the next class. 

You are an adult. Sometimes you have to do work you don’t enjoy and take classes that don’t interest you so that you can eventually take the classes you do enjoy and learn the things you truly want to know. 

So, come to class or don’t come to class. It doesn’t matter. If students want to pay for school and not show up, professors still get paid, even if we’re occasionally late. 

Categories: Opinion