It's just not that fucking complicated

Here's the attendance policy in my class...

Attendance is mandatory for this class. Documented excuses (as defined in the university student handbook) for missing class must be presented within three business days of return to class. Documentation will only be accepted in office hours or by appointment. Only official university excuses (as defined by the university student handbook) will be accepted. Proper original documentation must be shown and a copy must be ready for me to keep as well. The documentation must be signed by the person providing it and have a telephone number where I can reach that person to check the excuse if necessary. The excuse must state that the student was unable to attend classes for illness or other approved reason as defined by the university student handbook, with exact times/dates (a simple in/out notification from the Medical Center will not suffice).

Aisling stops me in class and tries to hand me a document that looks like an excuse.

--You have to give me these in office hours and I have to see the original and have a copy for me to keep.
--Oh. OK. I'll be up later.

...
So she just came to my office hours and hands me a xerox of an undated letter written on supposed doctor's office letterhead ('cause, you know, it's a xerox so I can't tell) which says,

Please excuse Aisling P. from class last Thursday. She had an appointment in my office.
Dr. Whomever

Um, OK. No date on the letter plus we didn't have class last Thursday (which could have been any Thursday in Aisling's entire life for all I knew anyway since the letter had no date) plus no original.

I explained the myriad reasons that the document was insufficient, to her utter amazement and increasing sighs and eyerolls, and added that tomorrow is her deadline for getting me something applicable and that she should review all the requirements in the attendance policy before coming to the office. I suggested she write it off and use two of her unexcused absences but that if she wanted to come up tomorrow that was up to her.

I love how such cases are really all about US being unfair or unreasonable rather than THEM being irresponsible.

This is another case of my biggest pet peeve. DO WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. Why is that so frigging impossible for some people? Come to class. Barring that, be responsible about whatever documentation you may need to be excused. Barring that,

SUCK IT UP

and, more importantly,


DON'T BOTHER ME IF YOU HAVEN'T HELD UP YOUR END.