Policy: University Sanctioned Absence

ACADEMIC POLICY
Date Revised: 05/12/2026
Date Effective: 05/12/2026
Responsible University Official(s): Provost
Policy Owner: Faculty Senate
Policy Contact: Faculty Senate

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POLICY STATEMENT

A University-sanctioned event is defined to be any extracurricular event (e.g., educational field trips or conferences, theatrical performances, intercollegiate athletic contests, musical performance or tours, etc.) as approved by both the sponsoring department and the Provost or a designee of the Provost.  Departments sponsoring such events are responsible for submitting the Sanctioned Event Form and obtaining the approval of the Provost or the Provost's designee at least one month prior to an event for it to be determined as sanctioned.

Departments planning University-sanctioned events are encourage to consult the academic calendar in scheduling these dates.  Scheduling field trips on a Saturday is recommended or, if a weekday is essential, varying the hours and the days.  Such activities should not be scheduled during the final exam period.

Student attendance during class time is crucial for academic success.  Conflicts with University-sanctioned events and scheduled class time should be avoided, but, unfortunately, these conflicts may occur.  These events arise outside of a student's control.

Note that these absences do not relieve the student of any of their class responsibilities (e.g., homework, exams, lecture notes, etc.).  Students are responsible for completing course requirements that are due on the dates of University-sanctioned events per prior agreement with the instructor.

A student shall not be penalized for missing class in order to participate in University-sanctioned events as long as the following steps are taken.

• The sponsoring department must submit the Sanctioned Event Form to the Provost's office at least one month prior to the event.
• The student must:
  • Inform their instructors of the conflict at least 14 days before it occurs, preferably at the beginning of the semester.
  • Provide the university verification letter describing the purpose, dates of absence, and approximate time of departure and return.  This documentation shall come from the sponsoring department of the University-sanctioned event.

In the rare event that a University-sanctioned event is rescheduled due to weather or an unforeseen emergency, the student will not be penalized for missing class if:

• The student provided the proper documentation 14 days before the originally scheduled activity, and
• The student contacts the instructor of the course within 24 hours that the date occurs for the postponed activity and makes arrangements for any postponed course make-up work.

Attendance

If attendance is a course requirement, a student's absence due to participation in a university-sanctioned event shall not be counted as an absence, provided that the student submits appropriate documentation within the designated timeframe. 

Make-Up Work

A student who misses a class, assignment, quiz, or examination due to participation in a university-sanctioned event shall be provided a reasonable opportunity to complete the missed academic work in away that does not penalize the student.  The instructor shall determine the appropriate methods for making up the work, which may include one of the following:

• Completion of the original assignment or assessment
• Administration of an equivalent alternative assessment
• Implementation of a mutually agree-upon accommodation between the instructor and the student

Where a disagreement occurs, which cannot be resolved between the instructor and student, the instructor's department chair should mediate.  If agreement is not reached, then the College Dean should be included, and if a resolution is still not reached, then the Provost should be consulted.

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CONTACTS

Those designated to receive questions and feedback on the policy.

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HISTORY

No history.