Janice's advice on reporting absence for physics students

Adapted from the Purdue University Regulations (https://catalog.purdue.edu/content.php?catoid=16&navoid=19719#a-attendance )

Instructors are expected to establish and clearly communicate in the course syllabus attendance policies relevant to individual courses. Course attendance policies must be consistent with University policy.

It is recognized that occasionally it may be necessary for a student to be absent from a scheduled course activity for personal reasons beyond his/her control (e.g., illness, family emergency, bereavement, etc.). The University expects each student to be responsible for class-related work missed as a result of an unavoidable absence; this work may be made up at the discretion of the instructor. Only the instructor can excuse a student from a course requirement or responsibility.

When conflicts or absences can be anticipated, such as for many University sponsored activities and religious observances, the student should:

• Inform the instructor of the situation as far in advance as possible and the instructor should strive to accommodate the student. Individual course policies may state expected notification periods.

For unanticipated or emergency absences where advance notification to an instructor is not possible, the student should:

• contact the instructor as soon as possible by e-mail, phone, or by contacting the main office of the department that offers the course.
• When the student is unable to make direct contact with the instructor and is unable to leave word with the instructor's department because of circumstances beyond the student's control, and in cases of bereavement, the student or the student's representative should contact the Office of the Dean of Students. A member of the Dean of Students staff will notify the student's instructor(s) of the circumstances. The student should be aware that this intervention does not change in any way the outcome of the instructor's decision regarding the students' academic work and performance in any given course.

Regardless of whether these absences are anticipated or unanticipated, instructors are to allow for absences in accordance with the Student Bereavement Policy and in all other cases, are encouraged to accommodate the student.

In certain laboratory-based or intensive short-term courses, a student can jeopardize his/her academic status with an unreasonable number of absences, particularly in lab courses that cannot be made up later. The student should always consult with the instructor to determine the potential impact of any absence.

Students holding the opinion that they have been wrongly denied an excused absence or the opportunity to make up missed work should contact the head of the department offering the course or the Office of the Dean of Students to attempt to resolve the conflict.