Strategies were a big standout point:
Create a class calendar
On the calendar give the due dates for all your assignments. Give the calendar out at the beginning of the class and highlight important dates such as the first assignment deadline and the first test given. This ensures that all of your students can see you have strict deadlines that you are going to enforce.
Penalties
As a part of your grading scheme, create a sequence of penalties for lateness. The more time that elapses, the more severe the point loss. Put this in your syllabus and cover it at the beginning of the course. You may also want to offer bonus points for handing in assignments early. This can be an incentive for those students who are in need of course points but can't seem to get things in on time- they can recoup lost points with this method.
Syllabus statement
Include a statement in your syllabus that recognizes the unforeseen events that might prevent students from meeting a deadline and that you want to be flexible when these situations occur. In addition to this statement, you should also make it clear that you require documentation to support the request for an extension. You will find that this requirement reduces attempts to defraud you with excuses.
Observe your students
You will quickly see which students are going to try and "work" you. Keep a good level of professional consistency in your treatment of students but employ your observational skills to help you sort out the real excuses from the false ones. By listing in your syllabus your method of handling extension requests, you have given the students an obligation to document their requests. If you suspect that you are being lied to, you can request whatever documentation you want and you will be within your right. You will find that after just one of these incidents these "professional excuse givers" will smarten up and start to work within the system or leave the class. Either way you will have taken major steps to solve the problem of "it's not my fault" excuses.
