Faculty Guidance on Student Absences
Student Outreach & Support (SOS) is available for consultation around student challenges (health, family, or personal emergencies) that impact class attendance. However, whether a student’s absence is excusable is the faculty member’s decision. Faculty may also wish to consult with the Director for Undergraduate Studies or Department Chair should they be unsure how to handle a student’s absence (or missed major assignment/exam) from a course.
In anticipation of these occurrences, we recommend that faculty provide guidance in the syllabus for students around missed classes and assignments which may encourage but not require a connection to SOS in the event of a concern impacting course attendance.
Key Points for Absences and Referrals
- It is recommended that students who have flu-like symptoms not attend class and isolate themselves to the extent possible until they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. In the interest of minimizing contagion, faculty are urged to cooperate in accommodating students who miss class due to illness.
- Neither Student Outreach and Support nor Student Health and Well-Being Primary Care (SHWB-PC) issue notes for students who miss individual class meetings, exams or labs. Students should abide by the honor system when telling faculty they need to miss class due to a medical issue. If there are emergency or longer-term concerns related to a student’s needs, Student Outreach & Support may be in contact with the faculty to communicate about absences and needed support.
- Faculty should not ask students to reach out to Student Outreach and Support or Student Health and Well-being (SHWB) Primary Care for illness verification. The SHWB-PC will never provide diagnoses in a note verifying a visit or at the request of faculty. This is Protected Health Information (PHI) that SHWB-PC is unable to disclose. In addition, students should be discouraged from providing Protected Health Information (PHI) for verification of an absence.
- Occasionally, SOS receives notification that a student is missing class due to an emergency that is medical or personal in nature. In these situations, SOS may notify you as a courtesy that the student is expected to be absent for a period of time.
- Faculty are encouraged to refer students to SOS when they have elevated or ongoing concerns and think a student could benefit from connection to additional campus resources. While services through SOS are voluntary for students, a Case Manager or Triage Specialist will outreach to the student and provide you a point of contact in SOS upon receiving your referral.
- Please review policies regarding missed classes and work to ensure that students who are unable to attend class due to illness or injury understand your expectations around communication and opportunities for completion of coursework.
- Some students are registered for disability accommodations that may include flexibility with attendance as an accommodation. Please consult with Student Disability Services should you have questions or concerns about making this type of accommodation.