Is class attendance on the decline at Chapman?
Graphic by Easton Clark, Photo Editor
As Chapman nears the end of the fall semester, it’s no surprise that students may be experiencing burnout, and one way that burnout often manifests itself is by skipping classes.
Few studies have been conducted nationwide on the frequency of students skipping classes, but the current numbers show that it is a lasting and concerning trend. A 2025 study from the Center for Studies in Higher Education found that even before the COVID-19 pandemic, students at research universities spent less time in classes on average than they did in prior years.
By 2023, students spent an average of 1.7 fewer hours per week in class than they did in 2018, while they also spent an average of 1.5 fewer hours studying within the same timespan.
Chapman’s campus-wide policies allow excused absences only for medical situations and personal or family emergencies, with most other situations not considered. On an individual level, many professors have adopted personal policies for their classes, with varying degrees of success.
Peach studies professor Bojan Petrovic has adopted a policy of “attendance as part of class participation (or) class assignment,” which has seen mixed results.
Petrovic has taught at Chapman for 18 years and has personally seen the downward trends in attendance over time.
“The attendance has gotten worse over time,” he said. “I think it has been a trend for multiple semesters.”
He emphasized the invaluable instruction and experience that comes with in-person learning, as the information presented exceeds the amount he posts online.
At Chapman, students who miss class often do so for varying reasons. Katie Ritter, a senior film and TV production major, said she will skip classes for other campus-related events, such as a Dodge Master Class.
Robert Bents, a third-year political science major, said he sometimes prioritizes coursework.
“(My) most common reasons for skipping are homework load and upcoming tests (or) papers that I have to study for,” he said.
Local studies conducted at universities across the nation return similar answers. A small-scale survey of 175 students conducted at Colorado State University found that 37% of students will skip classes for reasons ranging from physical illness and job obligations to boring teachers and a lack of required attendance policies.
When asked about how often they attend classes, Chapman students expressed high levels of devotion to attending, something that they say aligns with the majority of their peers.
“My class schedule this semester is (15 credits), although the classes I’m taking are more rigorous than usual this fall,” said Ritter. “I always attend class, with the exception of being sick or having some sort of time conflict. I think there’s only once or twice in any semester in which I don’t go to class just because I don’t have to or feel inclined (not) to.”
On the other hand, Bents takes more credits than average, measuring 17 units this semester, but still tries to attend every class he can; however, this may vary depending on whether it is a class that meets once or twice a week.
Whether or not class attendance will broadly continue to decline, and whether or not Chapman will adopt harsher policies as a result, remains to be determined.