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The UGA Karate Club has no attendance policy. However, the instructors tend to be aware of which students show up on a regular basis and which students do not. Students with poor attendance will be passed over at test time, held at their current rank until the situation improves. The occasional absence is not a problem, but when it becomes chronic, note will be taken. If you find yourself making excuses not to come to class, only showing up from time to time when guilt or something similar prompts you to do so, you may not have the desire for training. This is not a bad thing; martial arts are not for everyone. However, it is best that you come to terms with yourself on the issue.
Protracted periods of absence due to
extenuating circumstances
are another matter. If outside factors are keeping you from
coming
to class, let Master Couch or one of the junior instructors know about
it (check the main
page or the contact
page for a few phone numbers and email addresses). It is
possible
that an arrangement for timely testing can be reached. No list of
"acceptable" outside factors will be provided here; to be truthful,
it's
all subject to the opinions of the instructors, especially that of
Master
Couch.
Each semester is fifteen weeks long, not
counting breaks and holidays. We have two formal classes per week
for two hours apiece, totaling sixty hours of training per
semester. Each class you miss is two hours gone from that
total. It's not a big deal to miss a couple of classes, but miss
five and you've lost ten hours of practice. For this reason alone
it's a good idea to maintain your attendance.