Regular class attendance on the part of every student is a necessary factor in academic performance. Upon occasion it may be necessary for a student to be absent, but every effort should be exerted to avoid absences.
When a student’s class attendance or general performance in class is unsatisfactory the instructor requests the Dean of Students to issue a warning. This warning specifies that not more than one unexcused absence may be taken after the warning is issued. Any additional unexcused absence results in automatic exclusion from the course. A student who has been dropped under these circumstances is marked WF and the grade counts in the grade point average as an F. A student may not withdraw from a class voluntarily after having been dropped from the class.
An excused absence is defined as necessary and/or unavoidable. Examples include illness, death in the family or of a close friend, marriage of a close relative, urgent need at home, or University business (including authorized extracurricular activities). An unexcused absence is defined as accidental or intentional. For instance, over sleeping, forgetting a class, missing a ride, travel arrangements which preclude attending class, and attending a social event. (Also, a student arriving in class more than ten minutes late can be marked absent.)
NOTES: (1) Any student absent from a class during which an examination is to be given or a paper is due is given a zero. If an absence is deemed necessary and unavoidable by the Dean of Students (in accordance with the above examples), the student may be given another test or an opportunity to submit the paper in order to remove the zero.
(2) Students who believe their absence from class should be excused must report to the Dean of Students’ Office within 24 hours of the absence from class.
(3) The student is responsible for all work discussed, including announcements, even when the absence is excused.
(4) Medical excuses are written at the University Health Service (UHS) ONLY when a student is too sick to attend a class in which: (a) a cut warning has been issued, (b) an examination or lab is involved or a paper due, and (c) during no-cut days (including during the fraternity and sorority house visit rush period) as determined by the Office of the Dean of Students. Students must be seen at the University Health Service on the day that the excuse is required (unless circumstances at the health service do not permit a student to be seen that day) and is issued an excuse only if there is reasonable belief by health service personnel that a genuine medical condition exists that would or should prohibit class attendance. Occasionally, the Health Service is unable to see a student needing an excuse or the student’s illness has resolved itself by the time he or she comes to the health service. In these circumstances, an instructor who has an existing relationship with the student is perhaps in a better position to judge whether an accommodation should be made for a student claiming an illness, which a health care provider cannot confirm. In all circumstances, instructors may excuse students whom they believe present a medical condition necessitating an excuse from a class and/or class assignment. If the Health Service is involved, the excuse must be taken to the Office of the Dean of Students by the student within 24 hours of the absence from class. The student is also under an absolute obligation to inform his/her instructor about the illness prior to the missed class. The Office of the Dean of Students does not feel any obligation to honor excuses from exams that are not accompanied by the appropriate communication with the teacher giving the exam.
A Gownsman whose class attendance or general performance is unsatisfactory is admonished by the instructor to show an improved performance. If, in the opinion of the teacher, there is no improvement, a cut warning is issued.
Students enrolled in Physical Education may not have more than four (4) absences (excused or unexcused). The penalty is automatic exclusion from the course. When the total number of absences in Physical Education exceeds four (4) in a semester, a credit is not awarded.
Teachers may require freshmen to attend all classes, at least through the first test period.
Non-gownsmen who take an unexcused cut on the last day before or the first day after a vacation are placed on cut warning for the remainder of the semester. Unexcused absences include travel arrangements, which preclude a student from being on campus the day before or after the vacation.
