Handling Absences

Below you will find descriptions of and relevant policy for some of the most common reasons a student might need to miss class, along with language you may choose to include in your syllabi. It is always advised that faculty be mindful of College policies when crafting their syllabi so that their course policy is consistent with that of the College. 

Additionally, regardless of reason, please consider submitting a course alert for any student who may be at risk of failing to meet the learning goals for your course or who is falling significantly behind due to absences.  It is also recommended that you submit a Course Alert for any student who has missed class without being in communication with you as to the reason and how to make up any missed work.

Note - please do not include language on your syllabus that states that the only excused absences are those that are accompanied by a Dean’s Excuse. As you will see below, Dean’s Excuses account for a small percentage of absence types and stating this as an attendance policy creates confusion.   

Absences due to Disability or Diagnosed Mental/Physical Health Need – the DRC

The Disability Resource Center (DRC) is the office that is responsible for determining reasonable accommodations for documented disability or long-term health need.  When the DRC deems it reasonable for a student to miss an occasional class or have an occasional brief extension on an assignment, they will include instructions as to how students should activate these accommodations in their DRC letters of accommodation.  Please encourage students to share their DRC letters of accommodation with you during the 2-week add period at the beginning of the semester so that you can go over the specific language in their letters of accommodation and discuss what this will look like in your course.

If you have concerns about how any of the DRC supported accommodations may impact the learning goals for your course, please share this with the DRC and student immediately - preferably before the end of the 2 week add period – so that students have the opportunity to make any adjustments to their schedule after consulting with the DRC, should they choose to do so.

Professors are not under obligation to honor accommodations that are shared after the fact or with little to no advanced notice.  Should a student make a last minute or retroactive request, please share this with the DRC so that they can go over the proper procedure with the student. Concerns that students are asking to use DRC supported absences or extensions on assignments excessively are also best shared with the DRC for appropriate follow-up (ada@middlebury.edu).

Optional syllabus language: Students who think that they may need to miss class for longstanding / chronic mental or physical health needs should discuss this with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) (ada@middlebury.edu) prior to any absences.   The DRC is the only office authorized to put health or disability accommodations in place for students.  (Note that this language is not intended to replace the syllabus language about accommodations provided by the DRC).

Brief Absences due to Illness – Course Policy

Some students will get sick during the semester, even at inopportune times such as exam or group presentation days. For students asking to miss class for common, acute sickness, the expectation is that professors have policy that accounts for their routine illness. Professors should not require students to share privileged health information as a component of their course policy (for example requesting a “Doctor’s note”). Students requesting to miss more than a few days of class per semester due to illness should be referred to the Center for Health and Wellness and or the Disability Resource Center for information about Temporary Medical Leaves or Letters of Accommodation. Please also consider submitting a Course Alert for any student who is missing more than a few days of class if it impacts their class performance, regardless of the stated reason.

There are many ways you might work with a student who has an explainable reason to miss class.  For example, if a lab or discussion is missed, the student may be able to attend a different section meeting. If a paper is due, consider a course policy that allows all students to use a one-time 24-hour assignment extension. If a lecture is to be missed, you may permit the student to record the lecture (with assistance from another student). We do recognize, however, that there are cases for which there is no satisfactory make-up possible. Please do your best to accommodate the student, in accordance with your course policies, without sacrificing academic rigor.

Optional syllabus language: It is expected that students will still attend class when they are feeling slightly unwell or experiencing modest symptoms such as “the sniffles.”  In these instances, please consider masking to avoid spreading germs to others, including those who may be immunocompromised. 

For impactful but routine illnesses such as the flu, please limit your exposure to others and do not come to class.  If you are not feeling better within a day or two, I suggest calling the Health Services Nurse Line at 802-443-3290 for support during regular business hours. You can also receive 24/7 on-demand support for mental and physical health on TimelyCare.

**It is important to note that the Center for Student Success does not offer “Dean’s Excuses” to students who need to miss an exam due to illness.  Likewise, the Center for Health and Wellness does not offer medical excuses for students who need to miss class.  Please include information in your syllabus about how students should work with you in these circumstances.  It is not advisable to require students to share medical information with you.

Extended Absences due to Illness or Medical Need – Centers for Health & Wellness and Student Success

When students are facing unplanned or significant health events that require medical support and/or impede their ability to engage with academics for an extended period, we recommend that they work directly with the Center for Health and Wellness to explore going on a Temporary Medical Leave (TML). 

When students are on a TML they may be excused from classes for up to 10 consecutive business days. In situations where there are significant health and safety concerns, a student may not be approved to reside on campus or have access to electronic devices.  In other instances, students may choose to attend or engage with classes, but in a limited capacity (e.g., when recovering from a concussion).

The Center for Health and Wellness communicates TML approvals to the Center for Student Succes so that students can be issued a Dean’s Excuse and receive support around academic options.  The Center for Student Success then notifies the students’ faculty that the student is on a TML with the dates that they are excused from classes.  It is expected that students will be in touch with their faculty to work out a plan to get caught up and turn in any missed work once they are able to do so.

Faculty are advised to reach out to the Center for Student Success if they have any concerns about a student’s ability to pass their class or make-up work so that a Student Success Dean can help the student find the appropriate balance between their health needs and academic goals.  Faculty are advised to issue a Course Alert for any student who has not caught up with missed work within 2 weeks of being approved to return from a TML.

Students who have chosen not to take part in the TML process are not issued Dean’s Excuses even if the reason for their absence is medical in nature.  Please reach out to the Center for Student Success to consult if you have any questions about this policy or how to work with students should this occur.

Optional syllabus language: Students who unexpectedly find they need to miss class to tend to acute health needs such as unplanned surgery, a change in health status, or significant illness should be in touch with the Center for Health and Wellness to discuss the Temporary Medical Leave process.  Students can read more about the Temporary Medical Leave process here, or email chw@middlebury.edu to receive individualized guidance.

Dean’s Excuses – Center for Student Success

Dean’s excuses are given for extenuating circumstances such as the following:

• Bereavement
• Reports of sexual misconduct, dating misconduct, domestic violence, or stalking (SMDVS)
• Center for Health and Wellness approved Temporary Medical Leaves
• Other family emergencies (e.g., fire, flood, family terminal illness)

When Student Success Deans are working with students in these circumstances, they will often reach out to faculty members to let them know that a student has missed or will miss class on a specific date(s). 

Sometimes the student may be instructed by a Dean to write the faculty member(s) and copy the Dean on the email indicating that a Dean’s Excuse is being offered for an absence. The Dean will then reply to confirm the excuse. Sometimes the Dean or student will ask faculty if it is acceptable for the student to hand in work later because of the situation. Keep in mind, Deans are attempting to support and coach students for the world after college, so they want to empower and assist students with learning how to communicate for themselves appropriately. Deans, ideally, are not doing everything for students.

Dean’s Excuses may have varying levels of detail about the circumstances that precipitated the excuse based on the nature of the situation and/or a student’s request for privacy. All students who are granted excuses are encouraged to communicate directly with their faculty to share, as they are able/interested, and to negotiate the particulars of any requested flexibility.

Optional syllabus language: Students who are facing significant and unanticipated personal challenges, such as a family emergency, may reach out to the Center for Student Success to learn about college resources.  Student Success Deans are also available to discuss strategies for explaining your need to miss class, if needed.  Email studentsuccess@middlebury.edu or drop by their office on the lower level of Ross to make an appointment.

**It is important to note that the Center for Student Success does not offer “Dean’s Excuses” to students who need to miss an exam due to illness.  Likewise, the Center for Health and Wellness does not offer medical excuses for students who need to miss class.  Please include information in your syllabus about how students should work with you in these circumstances.  It is not advisable to require students to share medical information with you

Religious Observance - College Handbook

Middlebury College recognizes that the student body includes adherents of many faiths and that observance of religious holidays is an important part of religious practice for many students. The following policies have been established in order that students at Middlebury will not suffer academic penalties because of the conscientious observance of religious holidays.

It is reasonable to consider major religious holidays for the Middlebury student body as a whole to include the following: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the first day of Passover; Good Friday and Easter Sunday; Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Examinations should not be scheduled and papers should not be due on any of these holidays. Absences from class on these days because of observance of the religious holiday will be treated as excused absences. In addition, no student will be required to participate in or attend College events such as athletic contests, concerts, or outside lectures on these holidays.

The Scott Center for Spiritual and Religious Life will include the dates of these major religious holidays on the academic calendars that are distributed to the faculty and published on the College’s website. These calendars will indicate those instances in which the religious holiday begins on the previous evening.

Students whose conscientious religious observance requires their absence on days other than or in addition to those named above may make use of the following procedure prior to the holiday: The student should submit written notification of the pending religious holiday to their professor as early as possible in the semester, but no later than one week before the holiday. The professor and student should then work together to craft a plan for the student to make up any missed work or material. Under these circumstances, a student missing an examination will be permitted to take a makeup exam without penalty, and a student with a paper due on a religious holiday will be permitted to submit that paper on the day immediately following the holiday, again without penalty.

Students who are engaging in long-term religious observances such as weeks long fasting may be granted reasonable alternatives, such as the rescheduling of exams that are scheduled during fast breaking rituals or alternative assignments for participatory activities that take place during class time.  Students whose conscientious religious observance requires participation in these observances may similarly make use of the following procedure: The student should submit written notification of the pending religious observance to their professors as early as possible in the semester, but no later than at least one week before the observance. The professor and student should then work together to craft a plan for the student to make up any missed work or material.  Asking to miss multiple class days or to attend class remotely is not considered a reasonable alternative. Students should not be asked to supply proof of their adherence to religious practices.

Optional syllabus language:  If your conscientious religious observance requires you to be absent during class, you will need to send me an email letting me know of the pending religious holiday as early as possible in the semester, but no later than one week before the holiday. You and I will then work together to craft a plan for you to make up any missed work or material.   In most instances, missed work will need to be submitted by the next day.

Explainable Reasons to Miss Class – Course Policy

There are times that a student may ask to miss class for understandable reasons such as a job or internship interview, family member’s wedding, or significant co-curricular event. How you choose to handle absences and missed work in these instances is entirely up to you. However, co-curricular events are important components of a liberal arts degree.  Additionally, students can be placed in difficult circumstances when forced to choose between their academic goals in your course and personal goals related to their career and family.  As such, please consider offering leniency to students who have been keeping up with the expectations of your course and are asking to miss class for significant or culminating explainable reasons, if possible. 

You may even offer students in these instances the same grace we afford student athletes. (See Athletic Absences below for guidance on how to work with students with an explainable reason to miss class). 

Optional syllabus language: While it is the expectation that students will prioritize class attendance and show up on-time and prepared, I understand that there may be instances when a significant personal event conflicts with the time of our class.  Should this occur, please see me during office hours as soon as you are aware of the conflict, but no later than one week before the missed class, to discuss potential solutions.

Athletics Absences – College Handbook

It is the student’s responsibility to approach you in the first week of the course to identify possible conflicts between their athletics schedule and your course. However, it would be helpful if you, during the first week of classes, remind students of their obligation.

How you handle missed work is entirely up to you. However, it is the College’s policy that athletics are an important part of a student’s life at Middlebury. There are a number of possible solutions to missed work. For example, if a lab or discussion is missed, the student may be able to attend a different section meeting. If a paper is due, ask that the paper to be handed in prior to the student’s leaving. If a lecture is to be missed, you may permit the student to record the lecture (with assistance from another student). We do recognize, however, that there are cases for which there is no satisfactory make-up possible. Please do your best to accommodate the student without sacrificing academic rigor.

After a student has approached you, please:

1. Identify work that will be missed.

2. Do your best to find a solution to missed material.

3. Communicate your decision clearly to the student. When a student has approached you at the beginning of a semester regarding conflicts, it is your responsibility to communicate your decision on missed work before the end of the drop/add period.

Please note that if a student is involved in a winter or spring season sport, they may not be aware of scheduling conflicts until the semester or term is underway. Again, it is the student’s responsibility to approach you as soon as his or her schedule is set to make arrangements regarding missed work, and it is your responsibility to communicate in a timely manner your decision on how to handle the missed work.

Additionally, at the beginning of the semester, you are encouraged to make students aware of any important class activities that will fall outside the normal class schedule of Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:15 p.m. and Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday 7:30-10:25 p.m.

Note that missing a regularly scheduled class for a practice in no way constitutes an explained absence and is not expected or mandated by coaching faculty.

Optional syllabus language: While it is the expectation that students will prioritize class attendance and show up on-time and prepared, I understand that there may be instances that an athletic event conflicts with the time of our class. Should this occur, please see me during office hours during the first week of class to discuss potential solutions.

Unsupported Absences – Course Policy

Broadly speaking, unsupported absences are those for which students are uninformed about the appropriate offices/policies that oversee their need to miss class, have chosen not to follow guidance about the process for obtaining support with absences, or are unable or unwilling to meet the basic expectations for course attendance. 

The clearer we can be about both the offices that are able to offer support and the consequences for missing class, the better we will be able to help students navigate challenges and learn the work/life balance skills that will continue to serve them in their post collegiate lives.

Excessive Absences – Course Policy and Course Alerts

Sometimes students are unable or unwilling to attend class consistently.  This can be difficult to address when instructors do not have clear absence policies on their syllabi.  If regular attendance is mandatory to pass your course, please be sure to include this information in your syllabus.

Regardless of your attendance policy, if you have a student who is consistently missing class yet shows up on your class roster, please submit a Course Alert so that staff can evaluate the reason for the disengagement.

Late Assignments

Optional syllabus language: Students who are struggling to turn assignments in on time are strongly encouraged to schedule a Learning Resources Consult with the professional staff in the Center for Teaching, Learning and Research by following this link: Make an Appointment - Learning Resources Consultations - CTLR Scheduler - Middlebury College

Students who find that they are unable to keep up with coursework due to competing non-academic demands are encouraged to work with staff in the Center for Student Success to explore resources and options.  Email studentsuccess@middlebury.edu or drop by their office on the lower level of Ross to make an appointment.