University of Georgia Mulls Athlete Attendance Tracking

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The University of Georgia may begin testing new software that would track student-athlete attendance at classes.

SpotterEDU is software that will notify the athletic department of student-athletesā€™ attendance using a beacon installed in the classroom that connects to an app on the studentsā€™ phones via Bluetooth.

Spotterā€™s website says the technology can ā€œpinpoint students within a classroom until they leave, providing continuous, reliable and non-invasive attendance.ā€

Kathleen Hurlock, a graduate instructor in the English department, told The Red & Black, that the technology is invasive.

ā€œThe non-invasive way to track student attendance is for me to track student attendance, like I already do,ā€ Hurlock said, noting that she does not believe attendance is an objective way of measuring whether a student will do well in a class.

ā€œIt's up to me and up to the studentā€™s expectations of how they want to do in class. Itā€™s not just about being in class X number of days,ā€ Hurlock said.

Hurlock would later respond via email to Cory Kopaniasz, the director of student-athlete academic counseling at the University of Georgia, that she did not consent to have the beacon technology installed in her classroom.

Hurlock has not yet received a response to email.

Claude Felton, a spokesperson for the UGA Athletic Department, said in an email to The Red & Black that the department has ā€œonly begun exploring a number of ideas and potential services but no determination has been made on whether any, or none, would be pursued.ā€

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