Two students and a professor are evaluating compulsory attendance in lectures. Ruby (Student) I genuinely think having structured attendance helps students stay consistent. I've seen classmates fall behind simply because they don't show up. The data shows a clear link between attendance and grades, so I believe some sort of requirement gives everyone a fair shot at success. Tom (Student) I get that, but I feel like university is about learning to manage your own time. If someone chooses not to come to lectures, that's their call and they live with the results. Enforcing attendance just feels like we're back in school. I'd rather focus on self discipline and personal responsibility. Dr. Bennett (Professor) Both perspectives are valid. From my side, classroom engagement often drives deeper understanding discussions, questions, peer interaction. When students skip out, it weakens the entire learning atmosphere. But I'm wary of harsh penalty systems. They often backfire and create resentment more than improvement. Ruby (Student) So maybe it's not about punishment but about encouraging the right habits. What if we track attendance optionally but reward participation? Like bonus points for attending consistently or participating in class activities something that nudges people in without forcing them. Tom (Student) That's more acceptable to me. If you're offering incentives rather than imposing penalties, it keeps autonomy intact. And for some people, catching up through recordings or readings works better than sitting in a lecture hall. The system needs to allow for that flexibility. Dr. Bennett (Professor) Agreed. Instead of mandating a blanket rule, we could launch a pilot with select groups maybe one or two courses this term—and compare engagement patterns. We could also test out different engagement strategies: polling apps, live quizzes, interactive segments, to make the sessions more worthwhile. Ruby (Student) Right. That way students don't just come for the sake of ticking a box. And it helps lecturers see what approaches actually boost attendance naturally. We should definitely gather feedback through surveys so the data’s not just numbers but also reflections on the experience. Tom (Student) And let's also keep an eye on how it affects stress. If students feel pressured by attendance on top of everything else, it could backfire. So we need to be careful with how we present the incentives—more like opportunities than obligations. Dr. Bennett (Professor) I agree. Let's move forward by implementing optional attendance tracking tied to small participation incentives. We'll monitor both engagement and student wellbeing, and use that insight to inform any broader policy discussions down the line. It's a balanced step forward.