Many University of Memphis students stopped blaming their dogsfor missing homework a long time ago. These days, it's migraines,stomachaches and something about computer problems that keeps themfrom making deadlines.
"Work, sick, death in the family, computer broke down,everything broke down," said Karen Armour political science adjunctprofessor, about the most common excuses she's heard from studentsover the years. "But I have had a student whose dog actually atehis text book and he couldn't do the reading assignment."
But missing deadlines and playing hooky is no laughing matter, Uof M faculty members said.
"In the long run, it's not me giving a bad grade. They givethemselves lower grades because they didn't participate," saidDavid Dye, anthropology department chair.
However, many U of M professors don't get a lot of excusesbecause of grading policies that lower grades for missedassignments.
"I micromanage my class --treat them like adults," Dye said. "Itreally doesn't matter what the excuse. If they don't attend(class), I won't call them under the carpet for it."
Michelle Bates, junior interior design major, took an honestapproach when confronting her teacher with late work.
"I told one of my teachers I didn't want to turn in my projectmessy," Bates said. "I turned it in late and got a B, but she tookit down to a C because it was a day late."
Nathaniel Flemmings, junior computer engineering major, said heusually gets sick or has to go out of town when he's not preparedto turn in term papers or other projects.
The worst excuse Armour said she gets is when students ask ifthey can turn in their homework on a disk. She said she loathesstudents who expect her to download and print theirassignments.
"I get the lame-o stuff like every other professor gets," Armoursaid.
Other U of M professors are used to the throng of excusesstudents use.
"I've had students tell me they had to appear in court -- morethan I'd expect," said Maurice Crousse, history professor. "Ihaven't heard very many excuses this semester, but I haven't givenmy first test yet."
H.R. Mahood, political science professor, said he hears the samethree defenses for missed classes or exams.
"Either they overslept, thought class was in a different room orare just afraid of taking the test," Mahood said. "But the worst isthat they were afraid to take the test."
Carl Cockrell, sophomore business and marketing major, said hechooses to take the headache approach.
"It's usually a migraine or something for me, but I hear a lotof people say they miss class because of stomach problems,"Cockrell said.
Medical excuses, death in the family, abortion and knowingsomeone who committed suicide are some of the most sincere reasonsfor missing exams or not meeting deadlines, many U of M professorssaid.
Graduate students like Julie Rogers cannot afford to miss classor tests.
"I can't miss, so I don't need excuses," Rogers said. "But I'm anontraditional student, so I think I learned years ago howimportant it is to not miss class."
