Applies to:	Original Policy Date:	Date of Last Review:	Approved By:
All Adjunct Faculty; All Academic Program	August 12, 2024	August 12, 2024	Dr. John Z. Kiss, Provost and Senior VP for Academic Affairs

Policy Owner: Vice President for Student Affairs

Policy Purpose

Regular class attendance is integral to the educational mission of the Florida Institute of Technology. This policy aims to establish guidelines that promote accountability, responsibility, and the optimal use of educational opportunities. This policy emphasizes the importance of students' commitment to their own academic success through consistent attendance and active engagement. By adhering to these guidelines, students can maximize their learning experience and contribute to a positive and enriching classroom environment. There are limited reasons for which accommodation of a course-related absence may be considered for approval that are herein addressed.

Policy Scope

The Student Course Attendance and Absence Policy applies to all students, faculty, and staff on the Melbourne campus, but does not apply to ROTC coursework which is solely addressed by the Professor of Military Science, accommodations established by the Title IX Office, nor does it address absences related to student disabilities which are independently addressed by the Office of Accessibility Resources.

Policy Statement

The institution recognizes the intrinsic link between attendance and academic achievement and therefore expects all students to attend classes consistently and punctually. Students are expected to attend all class and laboratory sessions, fully participate in class, and take/perform all individual and group presentations, quizzes, and examinations, subject to penalties specified by the instructor for that course which can be found in the course syllabus.

However, there are occasions where a student’s absence may be excused and, if so, appropriate accommodations should be made. When possible and depending on the assignment type, this may include submitting work late for missed assignments, quizzes, or exams, or other accommodations deemed appropriate by the course instructor. The Vice President for Student Affairs or their Designee (“Student Affairs”) is charged with examining requests and applying this policy in determining whether an “Approved Absence Notification” shall be issued. See Definitions section for more information on grounds considered for an Approved Absence Notification.

This policy identifies: (i) how requests shall be submitted by students (e.g., form or email address to be used for submittal and any required documentation), (ii) the general standards for review of such requests, (iii) how Approved Absence Notifications are to be sent to the student and their instructor(s) when a request is approved and how students are informed should their request not be approved, and (iv) how instructors will receive information on the expected accommodation and facilitate the same.

Definitions

Attendance – describes a student’s presence, tardiness, or absence for a given course, and may incorporate other data (e.g., a notification of absence, excuses) to align attendance statuses with a grading policy.

Approved Absence Notification – communication provided through the HUB or equivalent academic tracking platform that issues emails to the student and their instructors indicating that a course-related absence should be accommodated as established in the procedures described in Procedures/Guidelines section below. Such notification shall provide the duration of the approved absence and any specific accommodations that are expected to be made (though as noted herein the instructor shall have discretion in how to address make-up work [e.g., substituting a research paper in place of an exam covering the same material]).

Grounds Considered – for an Approved Absence Notification:

• Court-ordered appearance or administrative procedures due to a subpoena, jury duty, etc.;
• The death or serious illness of an immediate family member (see Immediate Family Member below);
• A personal illness (see Illness below);
• Required military service orders or appointments (including veterans affairs or medical appointments that could not otherwise be scheduled without a course conflict resulting);
• A serious accident or emergency;
• Severe weather situations (outside of local area conditions for which the university shall determine whether classes shall be held);
• University-sponsored competitions/performances including, but not limited to, athletic competitions (only applicable to varsity student-athletes and cheer squad members); university-sponsored presentation/conference/symposia in which a student is presenting; a field trip accompanied by an instructor, or an internship or professional/graduate school interview that cannot be scheduled without conflict.

Grounds Not Considered – for issuance of an Approved Absence Notification:

• Athletic conditioning or practice schedules;
• Doctor or dentist appointments that could have been established in advance without resulting in a course conflict, including elective medical procedures;
• Employment issues;
• Inclement (but not serious) weather;
• Interviews for positions, residencies, or internships that could be established without resulting in course conflict;
• Pet/animal issues;
• Public events;
• Personal days or social events including weddings, graduations, reunions, or birthdays;
• Student organization conferences or events, including fraternity/sorority events and club sports activities;
• Technology difficulties;
• Travel issues, including commuting, flight delays, or scheduling issues;
• Vehicle difficulties (beyond vehicular accidents);
• Vacation;
• Visa issues; and
• “White notes” from the Holzer Health Center or other medical care providers that only indicate that a student was present at a care facility.

Illness – period of sickness affecting medical health. External medical care providers must provide information that the student should not attend class for a specified period of time. As with the Holzer Health Center “white notes” addressed above, a general visit confirmation is insufficient for consideration. Though the reasons an Approved Absence Notification shall be considered by the Holzer Health Center due to illness are varied, some grounds include medical conditions such as high fever; the need for bed rest; limitation of function due to pain or altered mobility; medically necessary accommodations due to pregnancy, childbirth, or post-partum issues (this is addressed outside of this policy by the Title IX Office); and students having or suspected of having a communicable disease or infestation that can be transmitted (examples of communicable diseases and infestations include, but are not limited to, COVID, fleas, head lice, ringworm, impetigo, and scabies). In addition, scholar-athletes may sustain concussions or orthopedic injuries that make it medically advisable that they do not attend classes until recovered. Such conditions shall also constitute grounds for excusal and will be determined by the chief physician with Athletics. In those instances where a student’s illness is determined not to warrant an approved absence from class, students should engage in independent adult decision-making and decide whether the absence is necessary due to their condition. The Holzer Student Health Center provides illness documentation directly to Student Affairs that indicates whether an Approved Absence Notification should be considered.

Immediate Family Member – a student’s spouse, dependent child (birth, adopted, step, or foster), parents, siblings, grandparents, spouse’s child, spouse’s parents, spouse’s grandparents, step-parents, step-siblings, step-grandparents, grandchild, step-grandchild, or legal guardian.

Procedures/Guidelines

Attendance Expectation

• Students are expected to arrive on time and attend all scheduled classes, including lectures, seminars, labs, discussions, and any other course-related activities as specified in the syllabus.
• The syllabus shall indicate how attendance and tardiness will impact a student, including whether an excused absence will count against any free absences an instructor may provide.

Reporting Attendance Issues

• Instructors will provide timely notification to student support administrators through appropriate channels when excessive absences are observed.

Excused Absences

• Students may encounter situations that prevent them from attending class (e.g., illness, family emergencies). In such cases, they are encouraged to communicate with their instructor(s) as soon as possible.
• Instructors have the discretion to determine whether an absence qualifies as excused before referring the student to this policy to have the matter reviewed by Student Affairs.

Approved Absences

International Students

International students are responsible for consulting with the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) Office and complying with the guidance provided by that office. Failure to do so may result in the improperly issued Approved Absence Notification being revoked with the student then subject to the individual instructor’s syllabus guidelines related to absences and missed coursework. Additionally, the student is subject to institutional and federal rules, regulations, guidance, and laws related to any travel. An Approved Absence Notification that is improperly issued due to a student’s failure to comply with this procedure will not provide an “approval” to justify their lack of compliance with institutional and federal rules, regulations, guidance, and laws related to any travel.

Students Generally

Prior to Absence

Students who have foreseeable absences (e.g., medical appointments, career/internship events) are expected to notify their instructor(s) of the forthcoming conflict at the earliest possible opportunity, but at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance and seek to make approved arrangements to address such absences so that pursuit of an approved absence through this policy is not necessary. Absences determined to be foreseeable for which such advance notification did not occur will most likely not be considered for an Approved Absence Notification at the sole discretion of Student Affairs in which case the student shall be subject to the repercussions identified in the course syllabus regarding absences.

• Students who have circumstances that require them to be late to a class session or depart early are also expected to notify their faculty in advance (late arrivals or early departures not complying with this expectation may result in the faculty lowering any participation or attendance grade or submitting an allegation of disruptive behavior to the Office of Student Conduct when appropriate - which may result in denied admission to the classroom).
• While religious holidays are not considered for an Approved Absence Notification through this policy, students who wish to be absent for a religious holiday are responsible for respectfully seeking accommodation in advance with their instructor(s) who shall have sole discretion as to whether any accommodation shall be made. Instructors will maintain consistency and fairness in exercising their discretion in this area. It is recommended that accommodation requests from students be sought from the instructor by the end of the first week of coursework. Students who engage in religious observations should examine how their observances will interact with their coursework and are encouraged to consult with the faculty of their proposed courses prior to enrollment to determine whether potential conflicts can be overcome (e.g., enrolling in a physical education course when one will be engaging in a period of fasting that will inhibit required activity or needing to travel for a number of days in a course that provides labs that cannot be replicated or class/group participation that cannot otherwise be engaged).

After the Absence

Should an instructor require an Approved Absence Notification for a foreseeable absence or the absence not be foreseeable (e.g. illness or injury, and death in the family), the student should contact Student Affairs (deanofstudents@fit.edu) and provide information and documentation about the duration of the absence to be considered, the reason for the absence, and supporting documentation for consideration within seventy-two (72) working hours of the absence.

Upon Return from Absence

Students with foreseeable absences are required to comply with the expectations established by their instructor as to making up missed coursework. In the case of unforeseeable absences, the student shall make arrangements with their instructor to address their absence (e.g. establishing the timeline and process for completing missed work).

When an Approved Absence is Not Granted – Students should consider whether the activity at issue is likely to impact absence/class participation grades and overall class performance to a point that it is in their best interest to withdraw from the course or the semester (see Catalog-Withdrawal) or pursue an Incomplete grade (see Catalog-Incompletes). Depending on the amount of work missed, even if excused, it may be necessary for the student to withdraw from the course or pursue an Incomplete grade.

Faculty

University Sponsored Academic Events

Faculty sponsors endorsing absence consideration for students participating in university-approved academic events should provide an email memorandum to Student Affairs (deanofstudents@fit.edu) identifying the reason and time for which an Approved Absence Notification is sought with each student’s name and student identification number at least seventy-two (72) working hours before the event so that Approved Absence Notifications can be timely prepared and sent.

Request for Consideration Note

While an Approved Absence Notification will not be issued by Student Affairs for events and activities not directly related to course subject matter or degree attainment, Student Affairs will issue a Request for Consideration informing instructors of student(s) proposed participation in an event or activity believed to be of special merit related to growth and development (e.g., a registered student organization leadership conference or public speech addressing academic or personal/ professional development).

Upon Receipt of an Approved Absence Notification

Instructor(s) should work with the student to identify how the expected accommodation shall be addressed. While the burden is upon the student to seek guidance on what is expected when an absence is approved, the instructor should look to work with the student to make reasonable arrangements to complete missed coursework. The instructor is expected to provide an option for completion of the missed coursework within seventy-two (72) working hours of the student’s return unless unreasonable under the circumstances or otherwise agreed upon by both parties. In addressing the completion of missed assignments, the instructor may choose to provide an equitable alternative to the original assignment. The Student Course Attendance and Absence Policy is not intended to extend absence provisions addressed in the course syllabus (e.g., if the course syllabus provides for three free absences before absences impact a student’s grade, the issuance of an Approved Absence Notification shall not prohibit reduction of subsequent free absences; however, if there are approved absences in excess of the number provided in the syllabus which have already been used, the student’s grade shall not impacted by an excused absence).

Should an approved absence occur at the end of the term, the instructor shall be permitted to issue an Incomplete (I) for the course and arrange for the student to complete the course in the following semester if the work cannot be timely completed at the end of the term (e.g., within seventy-two (72) working hours of the ending of the approved absence period or similar timeframe that is reasonable under the circumstances).

While Student Affairs is expected to engage in reasonable due diligence to ascertain the validity of a student’s request and documentation (and hold students accountable for misrepresentation/dishonesty), should an instructor suspect that the student has been dishonest in seeking an Approved Absence Notification, they should contact Student Affairs so that further investigation may be pursued and accountability established if warranted.

Staff Administering Policy

Athletic Events

In considering whether an Approved Absence Notification should be Issued for an Athletic Event – the Athletic Director or their Designee shall only issue an Approved Absence Notification in the case of an official competition for a varsity athletic team (and not in the case of practices, conditioning, etc.). In the case of such official competition, issuance of an Approved Absence Notification shall be done through the same system utilized by Student Affairs and shall follow the same standards and procedures.

Student Affairs

Upon receipt of a request for an Approved Absence Notification, the Vice President for Student Affairs or their Designee shall:

• Obtain appropriate documentation related to the absence request (e.g. information from a medical care provider advocating for an excused absence due to illness or injury that identifies the underlying issue and the timeline for the absence; a death certificate, obituary, or memorial service program related to the death of an immediate family member; etc.);
• Determine whether the request/documentation indicates the absence was foreseeable. If so, and advance notification of the student’s instructor(s) did not occur with reasonable due diligence, an Approved Absence Notification shall not be issued by Student Affairs except in exigent circumstances, and the student shall be subject to the repercussions identified in the course syllabus regarding absences. However, if the student can show that they did communicate with their faculty in accordance with the expectations herein provided, the evaluation should continue;
• Evaluate the documentation provided by the student and determine whether the information provided correlates to the grounds for which a notification should be provided, an Approved Absence Notification shall be issued,
• If the request does not identify permissible grounds as identified in this policy, or the student has provided insufficient documentation, the student should be informed of the issue and be permitted to provide further documentation if that would potentially remedy the issue;
• If the documentation does not identify impermissible grounds, but is not covered under permissible grounds, the matter shall be advanced with a recommendation for action to the Vice President for Student Affairs for consideration; and
• Issuance of an Approved Absence Notification shall be done through the HUB or current student academic issue tracking platform to allow for appropriate record keeping, identify any patterns of abuse of the policy, etc.

Make-up Work

• Students who miss classes due to excused absences are responsible for catching up on missed content, assignments, and assessments as outlined by the instructor.
• Students should work with their peers to obtain class notes, etc. if the instructor does not regularly provide such to students.
• It is the student's responsibility to proactively communicate with the instructor to arrange for make-up work and to adhere to any specified deadlines.

Consequences of Excessive Absences

• Excessive unexcused absences can negatively impact a student's understanding of course content and overall academic performance.
• Instructors may incorporate attendance and participation as a component of the grading criteria, and excessive absences may result in grade deductions or other consequences.

Responsibilities

The Office of the Provost, in partnership with the Vice President for Student Affairs, implements the policy and develops procedures for communication of and compliance with this policy.

International Students are responsible for consulting with the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) Office for guidance prior to submitting an Approved Absence Notification request.

Students are responsible for submitting requests for an Approved Absence Notification in writing with accompanying documentation as herein established.

The Vice President for Student Affairs or their Designee or the Athletic Director or their Designee shall only issue an Approved Absence Notification in accordance with the procedures herein identified.