Students are expected to attend all meetings of each class in which they are enrolled and to comply with the standards stated in the course syllabus. Faculty members may fail any student who is absent for a significant portion of class time. Excessive absence is defined as missing more than 20% of class meetings. Late arrival or early departure from a class session translates to absence. Students arriving after class begins or leaving before class ends will be marked as partially absent. Two late arrivals or early departures will be marked as one absence.

It is a student’s responsibility to check their email in case a class meeting is moved online due to inclement weather or a faculty member’s illness.  Attendance will be expected as usual if a class is moved online for any reason.  

Students with ADS Attendance Accommodations: 

Students who have attendance accommodations registered with the Office of Accessibility and Disability Services (ADS) MUST ensure that the ADS office notifies their faculty member of the absences, ideally before class.  Students are still responsible for the classwork and learning needed to fulfill the class requirements, so it is the student’s responsibility to reach out to their professor to arrange to make up for coursework covered in any classes they missed.  

Students with Extended Illness or Absences:

Undergraduate students who have NOT been approved for academic disability accommodations, but who experience an extended illness or other issues that keep them from attending multiple class sessions must contact the Office of Student Outreach and Support (SOS).  SOS will work with the student to determine the cause and appropriateness of the absences and subsequently notify instructors as necessary. In this case, excusing absences is up to the discretion of the professor and is also contingent on the student arranging to make up missed work with their professor.  

Graduate students must contact the instructor, director, and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies. Students in professional studies programs must contact the Associate Dean for Open Studies. The appropriate administrator will facilitate a conversation with relevant faculty to determine whether the student can achieve satisfactory academic progress, which is ultimately at the sole discretion of the faculty member.