Whether it be signing our names on a piece of paper, suffering through the dreaded Qwickly countdown, or the good old fashioned roll call, professors are cracking down on attendance this semester. Students are going to miss class regardless, so is making attendance mandatory really going to change the inevitable?

Sure, if you skip needlessly you are going to miss out on valuable material, and you are taking the spot of someone who genuinely wants to learn. However, we are all adults who can make our own choices as long as you can pass the class, does it really matter if you’re there to say “here.”

We should all be going to class, full stop. That’s what we are spending thousands of dollars a credit on after all. Students that have poor attendance are less likely to grasp class content, and are missing out on valuable discussion. But, mandatory attendance isn’t the answer, it doesn’t address the root of the issue:

Classes should be worth our time.

Making attendance a requirement won’t make students pay attention. There is a clear divide between students who watch the professor and students who have their noses stuck in their laptops playing 2048.

Some of them are engaged, listening and taking notes. The rest are online shopping, playing games or doing coursework for other classes, getting the equivalent education of simply skipping class.

Classes are meant to teach you, if students feel like they are not learning anything, they won’t pay attention. Learning something new can be intimidating, and students who feel like the class isn’t teaching them properly will shut it out. Finding a way to make academically challenging concepts digestible and exciting is invaluable to students’ learning experiences. Simply reading the words off monotonous PowerPoint slides isn’t helpful.

Classes are meant to be worthwhile. Oftentimes professors will post class notes on Canvas and assign textbook readings, then re-teach the same material during class — a real time waster. If students can play hooky an entire semester and still pass the class by last-minute cramming, what’s the point of showing up?

Roll call is reinforcing the idea that class is a chore rather than an opportunity to learn something new.

Bring in guest speakers, make the material relevant and give students the opportunity to share their thoughts and ask questions. Most students want to learn, they just need a class worth their time.

We believe that low class attendance is an issue, but attendance mandates are not the answer. It can lead students to their seats, but we know about the horse and the water. If you supply students with an engaging and helpful curriculum, you won’t need a mandatory attendance policy.