Excused Absence Request

The Dean of Students Offices works with students dealing with difficult circumstances including situations that prevent them from being able to attend/participate in class.

Student attendance is critical to student success in achieving the intended learning outcomes for the course. In the event that a student misses a class, they are responsible for the material presented. Students who miss more than 10% of any course may be withdrawn from the course. Students are also encouraged to review the University Class Attendance Policy and course syllabi for additional information regarding class absences and make-up work. 

Students are always encouraged to notify their instructors as soon as possible in order to apprise them of their absence from classes, in advance if possible, and to develop a plan, with a timetable, to make up missed coursework.

Repetitive or extended absences may interfere with the student's ability to be successful in coursework. With that in mind, students who expect that they may have repetitive absences for an on-going medical issue should consider registering with Student Accessibility Services for accommodations. 

Types of Absences

Critical Situations:

Examples of unforeseen events or circumstances that occur that are emergencies and cause a student to be absent from class include:

  • hospitalizations;
  • death in the family;
  • life-threatening issues;
  • family safety-related issues;
  • terminal illness;
  • pregnancy/parenting complications;
  • interpersonal violence; fire or natural disaster;
  • crime victimization; or
  • accident.
These should be handled by the Dean of Students office who will also connect students to relevant support services.

Non-Emergency Situations:

Examples of situations that are not emergencies include:

  • urgent doctor's appointments; 
  • illness;
  • infections;
  • injuries;
  • inclement weather; and
  • family member acute illness. 
Students may choose to notify instructors and send related documentation to them; however, some students do not wish to present their medical information to all of their instructors. If you prefer to send the documentation to the Dean of Students' office for review, submit the Excused Absence Request Form.

University-Sponsored Activities:

Examples of situations include:

  • activities related to performance groups, university athletic teams, the Corps of Cadets, the Student Government Association,
  • field trips related to academic courses as well as any other university-sponsored activities approved by the Provost or Vice President of Student Engagement and Success.

Documentation

Appropriate documentation must be submitted with Excuse Absence Requests and is required prior to sending out absence notifications. Common examples of appropriate documentation include those from treatment providers, hospital discharge forms, police/accident reports, and obituaries. All submitted documentation must be authentic and unaltered. The Dean of Students Office has the authority to verify any submitted documentation. Violations will be reported to the Office of Student Integrity for review according to the Code of Conduct.