Absence Policies

Class Attendance

Individual instructors, course directors, or departments determine the policy on class attendance. Students are required to observe the regulations as announced for the course whether the course is face-to-face in a classroom, online, or through Guided Independent Study (GIS). However, University policy requires that students be permitted to make up examinations missed because of illness, mandatory religious obligations, or other unavoidable circumstances or University activities.

For permission to be absent from class or an online course in order to participate in authorized University activities, students are expected to present to each instructor, if requested, in person or electronically before each absence a written statement signed by a responsible official specifying exactly the dates and times necessary for them to miss class. Excused absences are granted to members of recognized University groups and to participants in University field trips. Participation in the National Guard is also considered an authorized activity.

Students who are absent for medical or personal reasons may be expected to present evidence to verify the reason. Students in face-to-face courses may report absences from class of five days or less by completing an Absence from Class form, available at the Registration Center and online through the Registrar's Office, and by presenting the form to the instructor. Students who are absent for more than five days may ask the Registration Center to send notification of the absence to each instructor. Instructors may require additional verification. Students in online courses must contact the instructor concerning absences.

Students should not expect instructors to make adjustments to their class policy, nor to provide make-up exams, so that students can leave campus before the beginning of scheduled vacation times or the end of a semester, or to accommodate family or employment activities.

The Not-Attending Report

Students should be aware that, per federal regulations, schools are required to review students who received federal financial aid and did not pass any classes.  An assessment must be made to determine whether the student earned the non-passing grades while attending classes or stopped attending classes but did not officially withdraw. Students who stopped attending classes may be required to repay a portion of the federal financial aid for that semester.  If it is determined that a student never began attendance in some or all classes, aid may be cancelled completely. The Office of Student Financial Aid uses the attendance reports to make aid adjustments sooner rather than later in the semester and to provide critical outreach to students at risk of losing their financial aid.

Each semester and for each class, the Registrar's Office requires all instructors to verify, after the tenth day of the semester, that a student attended class or participated in an academic activity by submitting a not-attending  report. Students who are marked as not attending a course will be contacted by various offices on campus, including the Financial Aid office if applicable. 

Examinations

Some courses include examinations scheduled outside of the regular class period. The University has established university-wide policies governing these examinations and procedures for when alternate examinations must be offered to students. In all cases, a regularly scheduled course takes precedence over an examination scheduled outside of class time. Students should attend their regularly scheduled courses, and will be offered an alternative time for the out of class examination. (See Registrar’s website for additional Exam Information. 

Students enrolled in courses online through ICON should read and understand examination requirements and instructions at the beginning of session.

Final Examinations

A week for final examinations is set aside at the end of each semester, during which time no classes are held. With the exception of changes authorized by the dean's office, all final examinations must be given during this week, according to the schedule announced by the Registrar.

During summer sessions, there is no designated final examination period. Final examinations are scheduled before the official end of the session, either during a regular class meeting time or at a time determined by the instructor of the course in consultation with the students in the class.