Absence Policy

Students are expected to attend class on a regular basis.  It is the student’s responsibility to alert the instructor promptly of their absence, including the reason(s) for absence.

Documentation for absences of fewer than five days due to illness is no longer required. The instructor or faculty reserves the right to request a medical note to justify an absence of more than five consecutive days that results in missing a mandatory learning activity or assessment task. Extended or recurrent absences that result in missing more than 20% of a course may not be possible to accommodate, with or without documentation. In some exceptional cases, course withdrawal may be the best option. Students with recurrent difficulties or other reasons (e.g., auditions, professional commitments) that result in extended absences must contact Student Affairs promptly for advice.

Students are responsible for compensating for missed academic learning activities (e.g., asking notes from peers, additional reading, independent studying). A student who misses an assessment task for valid reasons may request an accommodation through Student Affairs. Extensions and accommodations due to absences should follow the PASL (see article 7 of PASL) and instructors must use their judgement on whether it is possible to find fair and equitable accommodations that follow local guidelines, maintain the pedagogy of the course, and do not create undue hardship in their implementation.

Whenever possible, instructors are encouraged to design flexible assessment strategies for their courses that allow occasional absences, minimize barriers to fair assessment and reduce the need for consideration. 

Instructors may reach out to their Associate Dean (Student Affairs), Department Chair(s), and/or the Office of the Dean of Students for guidance.

Absences affecting participation in ensembles are addressed in the Ensemble Policy.