Jennifer Sadler
Instructor of integrated marketing communications
“Ideally, every professor has made the current election part of the classroom and encouraged students to be educated on the points made during this election season. I actively encourage my students to learn what they can about each candidate, and for the last debate, 88 of my students gathered in the Overby Auditorium to live tweet the debate using the #MeekJourno hashtag. Because polls are open throughout the day, I would expect students to make arrangements to vote in between or after class, but if they are late or miss due to voting I could make an exception. For most, this will be their first time voting for a president, which is as much a test of their ability to shape the future as we have been preceding them.”
Mikki K. Harris
Assistant professor of journalism
“Students who need to be away from campus an entire day should exercise their right to vote via absentee ballot, rather than miss classes on Election Day. However, if they have to vote in person on Election Day, excusing that absence depends on the professor and the subject matter. Voting is an anticipated absence, so for my classes, if a student notifies me of the absence, meets deadline and completes all work that would be missed prior to missing class, I would excuse being absent on Election Day, but if I am approached about missing class the day before or days after the election, no, that absence is not excused.”
Marvin King
Associate professor of African-American Studies
“While I encourage everyone to vote, I would not suggest that missing class to vote count as an excused absence. The polls are open for 12 hours, and I don’t know of any student with classes from 7 a.m.–7 p.m. without a break. If the ASB and Faculty Senate recommended that voting be considered an excused absence, I would respect that decision.”
Rich Forgette
Senior Associate Dean of College of Liberal Arts
“I hope all eligible students take the time to vote on Nov. 8. In political science, we debate whether voting is foremost a right, responsibility or privilege. It is partly all three. Regardless, Mississippi polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Thus, I do not think it is necessarily an excuse for missing class. If students have class all day or are registered outside of Lafayette County, they should look into submitting an absentee ballot. They should do that soon, though, since the mailing deadline is before Election Day.”
