Attendance Verification

School of Education

Instructor Guide: Attendance Verification Requirement

To ensure accurate university records and comply with federal financial aid regulations, all instructors must complete an Attendance Verification Roster for each course they teach. This includes lab courses, independent studies, online courses, research courses, and directed studies.

Why This is Important

The Attendance Verification Roster serves several key purposes:

  • Federal Financial Aid Compliance: Under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, federal aid can only be awarded to students who are actively attending their classes.
  • Roster Accuracy: It helps verify that only students who are participating are listed on your roster.
  • Identifying Unregistered Students: It provides a way to report students who are attending but not officially registered, so the Dean’s Office can follow up immediately to get them registered.
  • Supports Enrollment Reporting: Accurate class rosters ensure reliable enrollment data for reporting to the National Student Clearinghouse and for Census reporting.
  • Ensures Credit and Grades: Identifying and registering students early ensures that they receive proper credit and final grades at the end of the course.

What You Need to Do

  • Verify attendance for every student in your course using the Attendance Verification Roster.
  • The roster will be available one day after the last day to add a course online.
  • Deadlines for completing the form vary depending on the course length. Refer to the SOE Attendance Verification Dates for completion deadlines specific to your course.

How to Report Attendance

You will select one of the following options for each student:

  • Attending: The student has shown participation or engagement.
  • Never Attended: The student has never shown any engagement or participation.
  • Stopped Attending: The student was previously engaged but has stopped. You must enter the last date of attendance.

You can also list any student who is attending but not officially registered, along with their contact information.

What Happens Next

  • Students marked as Never Attended or Stopped Attending will be reviewed by the Dean’s Office. If confirmed, they will be dropped from the course by the Office of the University Registrar.
  • Students attending but not registered will be contacted by the Dean’s Office to resolve their enrollment status.

Why Accuracy Matters

Your accurate and timely completion of the Attendance Verification Roster is essential because:

  • It directly affects a student's financial aid eligibility and billing.
  • It helps ensure that students who are attending but not registered are identified early and enrolled properly.
  • It contributes to accurate enrollment records, which are used for:
    • National Student Clearinghouse reporting
    • University census reporting
  • It ensures all students are officially enrolled, allowing them to receive grades and academic credit at the end of the course.

How to Verify Attendance

Attendance can be verified in different ways depending on the course format:

  • In-person, hybrid, or online synchronous courses: Use class roll calls, quiz submissions, homework, or assignments to confirm attendance.
  • Online asynchronous courses: Require a submitted assignment. Note: Logging into Canvas does not count as attendance.
  • Independent study courses (e.g., directed study, doctoral 790/791): Confirm there has been interaction during the verification period. This could be a meeting, email, online discussion, or a submitted plan of study (if not already submitted before the semester began).

Need Help?

For questions or support, contact: