University Excuse

Students are expected to attend punctually all lecture and laboratory sessions and field experiences and participation in course
assignments and activities as described in course syllabus. Absences are counted from the first class meeting, and absences
because of late registration will not be automatically excused. The student is held accountable for the work covered in each
class meeting.

Each instructor shall determine the class attendance policy for each of his or her courses. This policy, along with other course
requirements, will be presented to the class, preferably in writing, at the beginning of the semester or summer school term.

The Student Health Service does not issue official written excuses for illness or injury except in the case of a final examination
when a grade of incomplete (I) is recommended. Upon request, however, the Student Health Service will confirm that the
student has received medical care. If a faculty member needs additional information regarding the nature and/or scope of
an illness or injury, the student must authorize the release of the information by signing a release of information form in the
Student Health Service.

Instructors are expected to recognize and honor university-excused absences, i.e., treat the absence as an excused absence.
Instructors may require that students provide reasonable advanced notice of a university-excused absence, when possible.
If required by the instructor, verification of a university-excused absence may be obtained by the student by contacting the
Office of the Ombudsman.

University-excused absences may be authorized by the Office of the Ombudsman for activities as follows:

1. participation in authorized university activities as an official representative of the university (e.g., sporting events,
delegate to regional or national meetings or conferences, participation in and necessary travel to and from
university-sponsored performances);
2. participation in activities directly related to university course work and part of the course requirements; or
3. participation in other activities deemed by the Office of the Provost or his or her designee to meet the spirit of
these requirements by furthering the mission and enhancing the reputation of East Carolina University.
4. The death of an immediate family member or student participation in religious holidays may be considered an
excused absence under university policy.

• be directly related to the course work;
• be of a nature that prevents it from being accomplished at a time that does not conflict with a class;
• be announced on the first day of class with complete information regarding date, time, purpose, and duration;
• be limited to one per course per term; and
• be submitted by the course instructor, through the appropriate departmental chairperson, director, or dean, to
reach the Office of the Provost or his or her designee not later than one month prior to the start of the term.

Except as provided above, requests for a university-excused absence should be submitted, whenever possible, to the
Office of the Provost or his or her designee at least a week prior to the scheduled absence. Requests submitted after the
fact will be disapproved unless circumstances made prior approval impossible or unreasonable.

Students should note that the Ombudsman will require documentation to verify the event leading to an excused absence. For example, in April of 2006 one of my students missed the final exam following the death of her father. The Ombudsman advised me "<student's name> will need to provide the Ombuds Office an official program from the funeral. We will issue the Excused Absence based on that information." It is the Ombudsman who is the "designee" of the Provost in matters of university excused absences.

Here is a relevant resolution approved by the Faculty Senate and the Chancellor.

Resolution #06-05
Approved by the Faculty Senate: January 31, 2006
Approved by the Chancellor: February 6, 2006

Revision to the ECU Undergraduate Catalog, Section 5. Academic Regulations, relating to Class Attendance and Participation Regulations

Replace Section 5: Class Attendance and Participation Regulations with the following:

“CLASS ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION REGULATIONS

Students are expected to attend punctually all lecture and laboratory sessions and field experiences and to participate in course assignments and activities as described in the course syllabus. Absences are counted from the first class meeting, and, at the discretion of the instructor, absences because of late registration may not be automatically excused.

Each instructor shall determine the class attendance policy for each of his or her courses, as long as the instructor’s policy does not conflict with university policy as described herein. The instructor’s attendance policy, along with other course requirements, will be presented to the class, preferably in writing, at the first class meeting. Faculty may include class attendance as criteria in determining a student’s final grade in the course. If class attendance is to affect a student’s grade, then a written statement to that effect must be part of the course syllabus.

Excused absences should not lower a student’s course grade, provided that the student, in a manner determined by the instructor, is able to make up the work that has been missed and is maintaining satisfactory progress in the course. If a student anticipates that he or she may miss more than 10% of class meeting time as a result of university-excused absences, the student is required to discuss this matter with the instructor at the beginning of the semester.

Instructors are expected to honor valid University excuses for student absences and to provide reasonable and equitable means for students to make up work missed as a result of those absences. Student experiences that cannot be made up should be discussed at the onset of the courses to ensure that continued enrollment is feasible while there is still the opportunity to drop the course within the schedule change period. Instructors may require that students provide reasonable advanced notice of a university-excused absence, when possible. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain verification of a university-excused absence by contacting the Office of the Provost or his or her designee. Requests for university-excused absences should be submitted, whenever possible, to the Office of the Provost or his or her designee at least a week prior to the scheduled absence. Requests submitted after the fact will be disapproved unless circumstances made prior approval impossible.

The death of an immediate family member or student participation in religious holidays may be considered an excused absence under university policy. Should such a circumstance occur, and the faculty member desires verification, the student should contact the Office of the Provost or his or her designee for a university-excused absence and provide documentation of the particulars.

The Student Health Service does not issue official written excuses for illness or injury except in the case of a final examination when a grade of incomplete (I) is requested by the student. Upon student request, however, the Student Health Service will confirm that the student has received medical care.

The Office of the Provost or his or her designee may authorize university excused absences for the following activities:

1. Participation in authorized activities as an official representative of the university (i.e., sporting events, delegate to regional or national meetings or conferences, participation in and necessary travel to and from university-sponsored performances);

2. Participation in other activities deemed by the Office of the Provost or his or her designee to warrant an excused absence

Any student who feels that he or she has been treated unfairly concerning absences or has been misinformed by the faculty member regarding that instructor’s absence policy shall have the right to appeal through the appropriate Dean.”

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This page most recently revised on 2. May 2006.