Dear Faculty and Students,
While influenza is not uncommon this time of year, there has been an increase in the number of students reporting flu-like symptoms this week. We are writing to clarify the University’s policy on issuing excuses for class absence. The catalog reads as follows:
Students may request that an administrative dean notify faculty members about prolonged absences due to serious health problems. Such problems must be verified by Student Health Services. Students should consult an administrative dean immediately if non-health-related obligations will force them to miss several classes. Single or brief absences should be discussed by the student and faculty member without necessarily contacting the student’s administrative dean. ()
In general, these procedures are working well. There are some students and faculty, however, who expect Student Health Services, the emergency room, urgent care, and/or the administrative dean to provide documentation or notify professors of every illness or circumstance that results in one or two missed classes. This practice is not in keeping with the stated policy. Rather, students are expected to contact their professors directly regarding brief absences that involve missed coursework or exams. At students’ request, their administrative dean will notify professors about an illness or circumstance when it results in prolonged class absence.
Flu and flu-like viruses are typically very contagious and students who contract the virus are advised not to attend classes or other public events in order to prevent spread of the virus. Again, students are responsible for notifying their professors of brief absences related to the flu.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding this matter.
Douglas Johnson
Associate Dean of the Faculty for Curricular and Academic Affairs; Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences
Kimberly Taylor
Dean for Administrative Advising and Student Conduct