Late Work: Empathy, Compassion & Changing Human Behavior

Over the decades, I have learned to write course syllabi in a rubric style. The rubric contains mostly positive attributes of student work, mostly deliverables and expectations of quality and scope. Then there is the section of the rubric that is in anticipation of something unexpected happening. Such as late work. I have a written policy on late work as well as excused vs un-excused absences from class. This is partly based on Stanford’s “Incomplete” grade definition which states:

“I (Incomplete): The ‘I’ is restricted to cases in which the student has satisfactorily completed a substantial part of the coursework. No credit is given until the course is completed and a passing grade received. When a final grade is received, all reference to the initial ‘I’ is removed from the official transcript. ‘I’ grades must be changed to a permanent notation or grade within a maximum of one year. If an incomplete grade is not cleared at the end of one year, it is changed automatically by the Office of the University Registrar to an ‘NP’ (not passed) or ‘NC’ (no credit), as appropriate for the grading method of the course. Students must request an incomplete grade by the last class meeting. Faculty may determine whether to grant the request or not. Faculty are free to determine the conditions under which the incomplete is made up, including setting a deadline of less than one year (but not more than one year). When an incomplete is granted, faculty and students should work closely together to discuss/determine/outline/understand/agree to all of the expectations and conditions for completing work.”

In short, it is a second chance that can be allowed at the instructor’s discretion.

Within a course, my late work policy allows one “mulligan” so long as it is requested by the student within 24 hours of an excused absence. This is similar to the Incomplete definition in that students must request the reprieve and it must be within a reasonable time, and there are conditions attached – somewhat like a sub-contract.

As an educator and a proponent of coaching leadership skills in students, I think this approach is both practical (helps me as instructor to make an assessment even with consideration of late-ness) and impactful where there is hope of future human behavior change as well as shaping a student’s mindset with the display of empathy and compassion. This ties into emotional intelligence, another favorite YCISL concept, where we are thinking about self & social with regard to awareness (cause of the late work) and management (a path forward). Despite the intellectual presence of mind for empathy and compassion, the ability to exercise these behaviors is highly uncertain in the modern world & unreliable in the worldview of leadership.

In my work on design thinking, I continue to champion human-centered awareness and actions. I may be a little late, but I know I’ll keep working on it.