New Excused Absence Policy

1. New Excused Absence Policy • Key points (UAC 3.1.3) • Instructors retain discretion over class attendance at all times. • Excused absence policy governs those absences that must be excused, not those that may be excused, which remain the discretion of the faculty member. • And matters only when an instructor actually has an absence policy! • Excused absences divided into three categories: • University-excused • Planned • Unplanned, including illness • Disputes over planned and unplanned absences go to the dean’s designate, who may review only for compliance with published policy.

2. New Excused Absence Policy –University-excused Absences • University-excused absences include only: • Representing the University on official business (including for athletics); and • Death or serious illness in the student’s immediate family. • University-excused absences will be excused by responsible University offices: • Athletics absences will continue to be excused as they always have • Other University official business excuses will come from the Office of Student Affairs • Death or serious illness excuses will come from the Office of Student Affairs

3. New Excused Absence Policy –Absences Planned in Advance • Students are responsible for providing to the faculty member, no less than one week prior to the planned absence, any documentation the faculty member deems appropriate to verify the reason for the absence. • “Planned absences” category has been expanded to include: • Required participation in off-campus legal proceedings • Religious holy day • Required participation in military duties, including ROTC • Mandatory job or grad/prof school interviews (those the student proves cannot be rescheduled) for seniors, but limited to two per semester

4. New Excused Absence Policy –Unplanned Absences • “Unplanned absences” include: • Death/serious illness in the student’s family; • Student’s personal illness. • Students must provide appropriate documentation to the faculty member no later than two days after returning to class • Appropriate documentation is in the faculty member’s discretion, but usually should come from a treatment provider • The Health Center will no longer provide “blue slips” unless the UHS is the treatment provider • Rectors will no longer be involved in notifying anyone of an illness

5. New Excused Absence Policy –Unplanned Absences • Illnesses now fall into one of three categories, with different rules for when something must be excused: • Non-acute medical conditions (headache, hangnail, malaise) need not be excused, ever. • Acute medical conditions must be excused with proper (to the instructor) documentation: • Contagious illnesses • Doctor recommends not attending class, bed rest, etc. • Chronic or ongoing illnesses must be managed through Disability Services, and the faculty member will receive notification from Disability Services of the appropriate accommodation.