Absences

Significant illness of the student or serious illness of a member of the student's household (permanent or campus) or immediate family. This includes excusing a student from required interactions if the student has been directed to quarantine by the University, a medical professional, public health professional or government official. 

The term “significant illness” includes mental as well as physical illness. Instructors must apply the same standard of verification for both types of illness. For example, if a note from University Health Services verifying a "significant" illness is accepted, then a similar note from the UK Counseling Center, TRACS or the VIP Center must also be accepted as valid verification. For example, if a note from University Health Services that the illness of the student is “significant” is acceptable verification, then a note from the UK Counseling Center, TRACS (Triage, Referral, Assistance and Crisis Support) or the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Center that the illness of the student is “significant” shall likewise be considered to be acceptable verification.

The death of a member of the student's household (permanent or campus) or immediate family. The Instructor of Record shall have the right to request appropriate verification. For the purpose of this rule, immediate family is defined as spouse, child, parent (guardian), sibling (all of the previous include steps, halves and in-laws of the same relationship) and grandchild or grandparent.

Trips for members of student organizations sponsored by an educational unit, trips for University classes and trips for participation in intercollegiate athletic events, including club sports registered with the University and varsity sports. When feasible, the student must notify the Instructor of Record prior to the occurrence of such absences, but in no case shall such notification occur more than one (1) week after the absence. Instructors of Record may request formal notification from appropriate University personnel to document the student's participation in such trips.

Major Religious Holidays. Students are responsible for notifying the Instructor of Record in writing of anticipated absences due to their observance of such holidays. Faculty shall give students the opportunity to make up work (e.g., exams or assignments) when students notify them that religious observances prevent the students from doing their work at its scheduled time. Faculty should indicate in their syllabus how much advance notice they require from a student requesting an accommodation. The Office for Student Success and the Academic Ombud are available for consultation.

Interviews for full-time job opportunities after graduation and interviews for graduate or professional school. The student must notify the Instructor of Record prior to the occurrence of such absences. Instructors of Record have the right to request appropriate verification.

          _{*           “Appropriate verification” may include evidence that the student had little or no control over the date and time of the interview and that the student is not able to reschedule the interview to a nonconflicting time reasonably close to the originally scheduled time.}

          _{*           Programs with learning activities mandated by accreditation or licensure agencies may establish, as a matter of policy, educational consequences for students who have so many excused absences that they cannot complete the mandated learning activities. The published program policies and individual course syllabi must describe these consequences, which may include the student being moved to a different graduation cohort.}

Any other circumstances which the Instructor of Record finds reasonable cause for absence.

If a student is required to be absent due to military duties for one-fifth or less of the required course interactions (e.g., class meetings), the following procedure shall apply:

1. Once a student is aware of a call to duty, the student shall provide a copy of the military orders to the Veterans Resource Center (VRC) within the Office for Student Success. The student shall also provide the VRC with a list of their courses and instructors.
2. The VRC will verify the orders with the appropriate military authority and, on behalf of the military student, notify each Instructor of Record via Department Letterhead as to the known extent of the absence.
3. The Instructor of Record shall not penalize the student’s absence in any way. The instructor shall provide accommodations and time frames so the student can make up missed assignments, quizzes and tests in a mutually agreed upon manner.