This policy provides for basic protections and reasonable
accommodations for students who miss class with excused absences. Students are
expected to attend every class meeting of courses in which they are
registered. Only in specific, unavoidable situations does the University
excuse absences from class: 1) personal emergencies, including, but not
limited to, illness of the student or of a dependent of the student [as defined
by the Board of Trustees’ Policy on Family and Medical Leave], or death in the
family; 2) religious observances that prevent the student from attending class;
3) participation in University-sponsored activities, approved by the
appropriate University authority, such as intercollegiate athletic
competitions, activities approved by academic units, including artistic
performances, R.O.T.C. functions, academic field trips, and special events
connected with coursework; 4) government-required activities, such as military
assignments, jury duty, or court appearances; and 5) any other absence that the
professor approves.
It is the
responsibility of each instructor to decide what weight (if any) shall be
placed on missed classes in the computation of final course grades. The
instructor must inform students in writing during the first week of the
course (e.g., in the course syllabus) of his/her policies on missed classes and
related issues, including unexcused absences, make-up examinations, and makeup
of work missed during students’ excused absences. It is the
responsibility of each instructor to identify in his/her syllabus the methods
(written, e-mail, and/or voice mail) by which any unexpected student absences
should be communicated. Each instructor
should provide students with at least two of the aforementioned methods as
options to communicate any absences. Instructors’ missed class policies
must be consistent with the University Policy as stated in the paragraph
above. The taking of class attendance is at the discretion of the faculty.
Students are
responsible for complying with the missed class policies of their instructors.
Students bear the responsibility of notifying the instructor of a planned
absence by one of the methods provided by the instructor. In the event of an emergency or an
unavoidably short notice of absence, the student must present the instructor
with an approved written excuse upon the student’s return to class. Approved written excuses will be at the
instructor’s discretion, including, but not limited to, doctor’s notice,
funeral programs, etc. It is strongly
recommended that the student use two of the three aforementioned methods
(email, writing, or voicemail) to insure that the instructor is properly
notified of the planned absence. In the
event that the instructor should not receive the student’s notification, the
student should be prepared to present an alternative excuse. It will be at the instructor’s discretion to
approve or disapprove of the alternative excuse.
Students are
responsible for all material covered in classes they miss, even when their
absences are excused as defined above. Students must make arrangements
with instructors to complete missed assignments, labs, examinations or other
course requirements. In turn, instructors are not to penalize students
with excused absences.
The Provost shall inform faculty
in writing of this policy, making clear that instructors bear responsibility
for the academic conduct of their classes and for providing reasonable
accommodation for students who miss class with excused absences.