Professors need to reassess what a student in higher education is along with their relationship with these students.

Professors are not meant to be a parent or guardian holding their hand throughout the course.

They are instructors teaching students on a specific subject that will teach the student things they can use when furthering their career beyond the university.

This is why I cannot understand why some professors feel the need to add a scoring penalty for not going to class.

I have been to many classes, some I believed were taught methodically and intelligently, but this unfortunately cannot be said for all of them. There are some classes where I feel most of the learning is done outside of the class through homework or projects dispersed throughout the semester.

Despite this, for some courses, I am forced to attend the class out of fear of being penalized for just missing class.

I know I am not the only student who has felt like they were going to class solely for that reason, and not because they feel as if they gaining something from going.

My favorite professors have always treated me as a university professor should treat a student. In their eyes, a student is paying to learn, and if they do not feel like it is important to attend class, it is on them.

A key difference between a high school student and a college student that is lost on some professors is that those attending college are paying for their tuition, and therefore their education.

If a student feels like they do not need to attend the class to maintain a good grade, they should not be punished for not going.

Students should feel like they need to attend class to understand the material, and not to avoid penalties. Just in my college experience, I have noticed classes that have difficult material only understood in class do not have attendance penalties.

This is because they do not need them.

Those professors teaching those courses understand they need to provide legitimate reasons for attending class. They arrange the course to make sure the classroom experience is essential to understanding the material.

Normally, I noticed they would have in-class assignments or dense lectures to entice students to maintain their attendance. Professors should not be falling back on punishing those who do not attend to keep butts in seats.

If students are not going to their classes, there is a larger problem in play.

This is not to say attendance should not be encouraged. Faculty should always support attendance and inspire students to keep coming to class.

Even though they should not have to, professors should always spur students to come to class.

Attendance is important. A Georgia Tech study showed students with higher attendance received higher grades. I do not discount the importance of attendance (for some classes).

I just think punishing those who do not go for the sole reason of not going is juvenile.

When I see a professor dawn a punishment for not attending, I feel little respect is given from the professor to want to learn.

Jarad Jarmon is a senior journalism major. He can be reached at denopinions@gmail.com.