Attendance & Excused Absences

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Introduction

Students are expected to attend class and to complete all assignments in accordance with individual instructor and course policies. The excused absence policy does not guarantee that students’ absences from a course will not negatively impact their success in the course and faculty are under no obligation to record or broadcast lectures. Furthermore, it is the students’ responsibility to ensure that excused absences do not conflict with clearly established instructor policies on course attendance and participation. A student requesting an excused absence is responsible for providing evidence to the instructor substantiating the reason for missed class or course deadlines/due dates. Excused absences may not exceed 20% of the class meetings. Students who are requesting an excused absence are expected to follow and adhere to the Student Code of Conduct.

Students who enroll in online classes are expected to actively participate in class functions on a regular basis. Logging into a class(es) is not sufficient to establish or maintain participation. To maintain active participation, students are expected to submit assignments, interact in class discussions, engage in group work, and participate in other activities specified by the instructor.

If a student has extensive absences, the faculty member may recommend consideration of an Incomplete (I) Grade or Withdrawal.

Excused Absence: An absence may be excused for the reasons and in accordance with the procedures outlined below.

Reasons: Acceptable reasons for absences and other missed course requirements include the following.

University Supported Participation

1. Participation in a university-sponsored or sanctioned activity or professional development activities that are central to the student’s academic program..

2. Mandatory participation as a student-athlete in NCAA-sanctioned competition.

Injury, Illness, Medical Condition/Status

  1. Injury, illness, mental illness, or medical condition/status that is too severe or contagious for the student to participate in class.

• At the discretion of the faculty member, as outlined in the course syllabus, injury or illness confirmation may be obtained through a note from a health care professional affirming the date and time of visit. The Student Health & Wellness Center or an off-campus medical professional can provide a medical confirmation note only if medical professionals are involved in the medical care of the student. Medical documentation can be collected after the missed participation has occurred.
• An absence for a non-acute (e.g., elective) medical service does not constitute an excused absence.
• University requested absence for quarantine or isolation

  2.  Major injury, illness, or medical condition/status in a student’s immediate family.

  3.  A death in a student’s immediate family.

  4.  A family member as defined for this policy includes a student’s spouse, dependent child (birth, adopted, step, or foster) parent, and parent-in-law.

Other Allowable Reasons

1. Required participation in military duties, including mandatory medical appointments for veterans and military personnel.
2. Mandatory admissions interviews for professional or graduate school, or internships, that cannot be rescheduled.
3. Religious holy day.
4. Participation in legal proceedings or administrative procedures that require a student’s presence.
5. Accommodation or other support requests, as negotiated with student service offices, such as the Disability Resource Center, the CARE Office, or the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards.
6. Supportive measures requested through the Office of Equity related to sexual misconduct and/or discrimination (see USU Policy 339). 
7. In accordance with Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, pregnancy and related conditions are a justification for an excused absence for so long a period of time as is deemed medically necessary by the student’s physician.

Student Procedures

To be excused, students must notify their instructor in writing (acknowledged email message is acceptable) prior to the date of absence if such notification is feasible. In some cases, such as religious holy days, athletic events, or other university-sponsored and sanctioned events with known schedules, instructors should be informed during the first week of classes. In cases where advance notification is not feasible (e.g. accident, illness, or emergency), the student must provide notification as soon as possible. This notification should include an explanation of why notice could not be sent prior to the class. On request of the instructor, the student must provide additional documentation substantiating the reason for the absence, which is satisfactory to the instructor, within one week of the last date of the absence.

Instructor Procedures

If the absence is excused, the instructor must either provide the student an opportunity to make up any quiz, exam, or other work that contributes to the final grade or provide a satisfactory alternative by a date agreed on by the student and instructor. In some cases, such as classes that include time-dependent group, field, lab, or studio work, instructors are not required to recreate a precisely equivalent experience, but may identify a suitable alternative that respects both their own and the student’s time and meets educational goals. Any make-up work must be completed within 14 calendar days of the last day of the initial absence. Instructors are under no obligation to provide an opportunity for the student to make up work missed because of an unexcused absence.

Appeal Procedures

Students may appeal an instructor’s decision that an absence is unexcused if they believe either that they have presented the instructor with adequate substantiating evidence for an excused absence (as outlined in this policy) or that the instructor’s decision was arbitrary, capricious, or prejudicial. Any appeal must be initiated within three class days of the instructor’s decision. In the appeal process, the burden of proof shall be on the student. Any student appeal must be submitted to the following persons or units in the sequence listed below:

1. The head of the academic department in which the course is offered, or the dean of the college if the instructor is the department head;
2. The Office of the Dean of the college in which the course is offered;
3. The Office of the Provost.