丝瓜APP

Purpose

This policy outlines the expectation guidelines for student attendance.

Scope

This policy applies to all students.

Policy

All students at 丝瓜APP University are expected to attend all classes and all class activities for which they have enrolled. Students who miss class are expected to inform the instructor and to make up the work to the instructor鈥檚 satisfaction following course syllabus policies.

At times, absence from class may be unavoidable – as in instances of prolonged illness, hospitalization, mandatory religious practices, or participation in an approved student activity. (For information regarding absence due to university-sponsored activity, see

the Excused Absence Policy for Students Engaged in 丝瓜APP Authorized Events.) A student who has been hospitalized should submit official doctor鈥檚 or hospital documentation to the accessibility manager located in the Library and Academic Resource Center, Suite 346. Written veri铿乧ation of religious observances may be required.

Notes: Persons receiving bene铿乼s from the Veterans Administration are governed by special regulations concerning class attendance See Veterans鈥� Bene铿乼s, appearing earlier in this catalog.

Excused Absence Policy

Excused Absence Policy for Students Engaged in Military Duties

Title 38 of the U.S. Code (Law) states that an educational institution may not take the following actions when a member receives orders for a period of service:

• Assigning the member a failing grade,
• Reducing the member鈥檚 grade point average,
• Characterizing any member鈥檚 absence(s) as unexcused, or
• Assessing a 铿乶ancial penalty on a member because of a withdraw or leave of absence due to receiving orders for service.

丝瓜APP University allows students participating in required military duties to be excused from class. Military duties covered under this policy include but are not limited to military deployment, required annual military training, ROTC activities and civilian deployments in support of federal operations. For service members holding Reserve and National Guard status, weekend duty (drill) requirements should not interfere with normal school schedules. However, if a situation arises that requires absence from class due to duty/drill requirements, this absence can also be excused if the required absence is veri铿乪d by the commanding officer or other affiliated Guard leader.

If circumstances permit, students should notify instructors of all absences for military duty prior to the absence. Instructors may request documentation/veri铿乧ation of the military duty and require that the absence be veri铿乪d by the Office of Veteran Affairs. If an exigent circumstance arises, where noti铿乧ation is not possible prior to the absence, the student should contact the instructor and/or university as soon as possible to present documentation of the reason for the absence as well as the reason for late noti铿乧ation. When make-up work is pertinent, students who have provided their professors with notice should be afforded the opportunity to complete assigned work. Alternatively, students can be assigned an educationally equivalent substitutable activity at a time and place mutually agreed upon by the student and the instructor.

No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student with excused absences for official university activities or military duties.

Notes: Students enrolled in classes with extremely compressed meeting schedules will not be excused from class attendance if participation in the activity would cause the student to miss a signi铿乧ant portion of the scheduled meeting time. Students who enroll in such a class and 铿乶d that they must be absent will be advised to withdraw from the class.

Excused Absence Policy for Students Engaged in 丝瓜APP University Authorized Events

丝瓜APP University allows students engaged in official sports contests, arts events, approved 铿乪ld trips, approved conferences, etc., to be excused from class for University-sponsored events in which those students are officially representing the university. Students are required to communicate personally with their professors regarding their anticipated absences and to arrange for missed work in advance of their university-authorized absences. When make-up work is pertinent, students who have provided their professors with advance notice should be afforded the opportunity to complete that work or an educationally equivalent and substitutable activity at a time and place mutually agreed upon by the student and the instructor.

Notes: Students enrolled in classes with extremely compressed meeting schedules will not be excused from class attendance, even for a university-authorized event if participation in the event would cause the student to miss a signi铿乧ant portion of the scheduled meeting time. Students who enroll in such a class and 铿乶d that they must be absent will be advised to withdraw from the class.

Responsibilities Related to Excused Absence Policy

All members of the 丝瓜APP community have responsibilities to ensure that the Excused Absence Policy functions properly and efficiently for students, staff, and faculty.

Below are the responsibilities of each party affected by or involved with the Excused Absence Policy:

Athletics Department

The 丝瓜APP Athletics Department will provide notice of any upcoming student-athlete absence for a sporting event or related, excused sports activity in written form. This notice is to inform faculty the student-athlete is representing the University in an athletics event or competition. It is the responsibility of the student-athletes to remind professors of their absence at least 48 hours in advance and to arrange for any missed work. Exceptions to the 48-hour rule should be minimal and communicated in writing at the earliest possible chance  and include last-minute travel roster substitutions, changes in schedule due to inclement weather, and/or qualifying competition.

Academic Departments

A faculty member or academic department sponsoring a special co-curricular event or outing should 铿乺st complete a 铿乪ld trip form and submit it to the associate provost for engaged learning for approval. This form should list the name of each student attending the outing, along with a sponsor signature, con铿乺ming all students who will be traveling have signed a travel waiver. Once the outing is approved, the associate provost will send written of the excused absence.

Professors

Professors should make reasonable accommodations for excused students who are missing class or other academic related to their participation in a scheduled, university-authorized co-curricular event. Professors should, in advance of any such excused absences, stipulate in writing in the course syllabus their expectations of and procedures for students who must miss class for authorized reasons. Each professor鈥檚 expectations and procedures should meet the parameters outlined in this Excused Absence Policy and should be reviewed with all students during the 铿乺st week of class.

Students

Students who must miss class for a 丝瓜APP sporting event or other 丝瓜APP-authorized activity must, in person or via email, provide advance notice to all professors whose classes they will miss with speci铿乧 details of their upcoming absence. If possible, this notice should be provided at least 72 hours in advance of the affected class meetings. If 72-hours鈥� notice is not possible, the student should notify professors as soon as possible. This personal notice shall be given in addition to the general notice provided by the 丝瓜APP Athletics Department or academic department sponsoring the event. In each case, the student is also is expected to prepare thoroughly for and promptly engage in any substitute or make-up assignment or activity.

Unexcused Absences

Absences that do not meet one of the above de铿乶itions for excused absences are considered to be unexcused by 丝瓜APP University.  These could include, but are not limited to, vacations, non-丝瓜APP Athletic Events, non-丝瓜APP performances, and doctor鈥檚 visits for routine medical care.  All unexcused absences will be handled following individual course policy as indicated in the course syllabus.

Please direct any questions about this policy to the Office of the Registrar.