Class Attendance and Absence Download to print

Regular attendance in class is expected of all students at all levels at the university. The individual instructor has both the responsibility and the prerogative for managing student attendance. The instructor’s policy regarding attendance for each course should be written in the course syllabus and communicated to students during the first week of the term. The policy may take alternate forms within the bounds of appropriate instructional techniques.

If students anticipate an absence, they should consult with the instructor individually. Legitimate reasons for an “excused” absence include, but are not limited to, illness and injury, disability-related concerns, military service, death in the immediate family, religious observance, academic field trips, participation in an approved concert or athletic event and direct participation in university disciplinary hearings.

Even though any absence can potentially interfere with the planned development of a course, and the student bears the responsibility for fulfilling all course requirements in a timely and responsible manner, instructors will, without prejudice, provide students returning to class after a legitimate absence with appropriate assistance and counsel about completing missed assignments and class material. Neither academic departments nor individual faculty members are required to waive essential or fundamental academic requirements of a course to accommodate student absences. However, each circumstance will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

In all instances of absences, students shall be responsible for all material covered in class during their absence. Students are responsible for completing any makeup work resulting from their absence. In no case is an excuse from class to be interpreted as a release from class responsibility.

The general procedures and responsibilities for requesting and determining legitimate class absence can be found in policy 3-01.2 of the University Policy Register (www.kent.edu/policyreg).