<p>It’s not that professors “could care less,”; it’s that they cannot afford to allow students to hand in assignments/papers or take tests whenever the students feel “good” about the day. One student isn’t usually a problem, but an ongoing slew of them throughout the semester is. I always tell my students at the beginning of the semester that all excuses require a letter from the Dean. If they are very sick, the Dean will know and get in touch with me. If a family member or close friend is hospitalized or dies, same thing. If a girlfriend breaks up with you . . . I feel sorry for your circumstances, but it’s not going to get you an extension. </p>
<p>I like my students, and I hate to see them deal with some of the stuff they do. I <em>do</em> care. However, I’m not going to write another exam or deal with the complaints of classmates unless the circumstances are truly extenuating.</p>