Excused Absences and Makeup Work

Policy

Minnesota State University, Mankato students are expected to attend all meetings of their courses because class attendance – including participation in class activities and assessments – is a critical part of their learning, and research shows a high correlation between regular attendance and academic success. Nevertheless, there are occasions where students will not be able to attend class, either through participation in a university-sponsored or -sanctioned activity, religious observance, or extenuating circumstances. In those instances, students are expected to communicate with their instructors as soon as possible to establish a plan to maintain the academic goals and standards of the course and complete makeup work, if possible.

University Sponsored or Sanctioned Events
Students represent the university through participation in university-sponsored or -sanctioned activities, i.e. representing the university at off-campus extracurricular and co-curricular events. When the activity conflicts with academic obligations, student-participants will follow a standard protocol to provide their faculty members with advance notification and documentation of their absence from classes. Faculty members will determine, in consultation with student participants, how missed classes and assignments are made-up in a manner that fulfills academic obligations and accommodates participatory obligations.

Except for absences resulting from sponsored or sanctioned activities, student-participants have the same responsibility regarding class attendance and assignments as do all other students.

University-sponsored or -sanctioned activities are defined as activities in which Minnesota State Mankato students serve as official representatives of the university, such as:

• NCAA athletic competitions.
  • Competition time includes time required to travel to and from the competition for contests/events away from campus; for home contests/events, competition time includes the time when student-athletes are required to report to the competition site through the time they are released from all team responsibilities following the completion of the contest/event.
  • Practices are not included in this policy, with the following exceptions:
    • NCAA Bylaws permit student-athletes to miss class for practice if the team then immediately departs campus for away competition following the completion of practice
    • When practice times and availability are set by conferences or the NCAA in postseason competition, even if the competition takes place at home
  • This policy does not apply to Minnesota State Mankato Club Sports with the exception of handball.
• Presentations and performances involving theater, music, dance or speech and debate when such activities are requirements for the students in those activities. Regularly scheduled practices and rehearsals are not included in this policy.
• Presentations and performances involving competition teams associated with an academic class or sponsored by an academic department. Regularly scheduled practices and rehearsals are not included in this policy.

Student Government representatives in university, system, or state workgroups or task forces. Student Government senate, committee, taskforce, commission, or board meetings are not included in this policy, with the exception of the annual spring Student Government Budget Meeting.

• Presenting the results of research, capstones and other scholarly activities to external audiences (e.g., academic conferences).
• Other University-related events as approved by the Provost or his/her designee.

Extenuating Circumstances
Extenuating circumstances are beyond the control of the student. Students may avail themselves of this policy if they have an extenuating circumstance that falls within at least one of the following situations:

• Illness (physical or mental) or acute injury of the student, a student’s dependent, a student’s immediate family member, or someone for whom the student is a primary caregiver;
• The need for reasonable accommodation due to disability;
• Pregnancy, childbirth, lactation, and/or related medical conditions of the student or student’s birthing partner;
• Subpoenas, jury duty, arrest, and/or mandatory court appearances;
• Serving as an election judge on official election days;
• Required appointments related to visa or immigration-related matters;
• Participation in a formal University hearing;
• Military service and ROTC Field Training Requirements;
• Bereavement, including travel to/from bereavement, for members of the student’s immediate family. The term “immediate family” shall include spouse or domestic partner, children (including stepchildren, foster children, or wards), siblings, parents, parents of the spouse/partner, grandchildren, grandparents.
• Religious observances or participation in cultural ceremonies.
  • Optional events that may be viewed as religious or spiritual in nature, such as a wedding, are not official practices or obligations and are not included in this policy.  
  • Optional extensions to the religious practice, obligation, or holiday, such as traveling to a location that is not required for the observation or adding extra days for celebration or visitation are also not included in this policy.
• Taking college entrance exams (PSAT, ACT, SAT) at high schools for students participating in the Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) program.

Procedure

This procedure accompanies the Excused Absences and Makeup Work policy to help students and employees verify, document, and communicate absences for University-sponsored or -sanctioned events and extenuating circumstances.

Notification of Absence
Students must notify their instructors of circumstances covered in the Missed Classes and Makeup Work policy causing them to miss a scheduled class meeting and provide supporting information to explain the absence.

1. When the absence is based on a University-sponsored or -sanctioned event, a semester-long schedule will be prepared by the department responsible for the event(s) and distributed to students at the beginning of the semester. The schedule and notification will be provided to the instructor no later than the fifth day of the term or semester.
2. When the absence is caused by a University-sponsored or -sanctioned event that cannot be part of a semester-long schedule, the student will notify the instructor at least two weeks in advance. This notification shall take place even if the absence is potential rather than definite.
3. When the absence is caused by an extenuating circumstance that is knowable in advance, the student must notify the instructor as early as possible but no less than two weeks in advance.
4. When the absence is caused by extenuating circumstances for which little or no advance notice is possible, the student must notify the instructor as soon as reasonably possible. Students and faculty should work together to determine special arrangements.

Makeup Work

1. Colleges and academic departments may establish and publicize to students more specific criteria for notifying instructors and for completing makeup work when class is missed due to an excused circumstance, especially when the absence involves course activities and assessments that may not be possible to make up, such as laboratory or clinical sessions and performances.

2. The type and extent of makeup work shall be at the discretion of the faculty member. Unless the instructor and the student make other arrangements, all makeup work is to be completed prior to the approved absence.
3. As long as appropriate prior notice is given, students and faculty reach a mutual agreement concerning missed work, and students complete the missed work, faculty shall not penalize a student for missing a class or exam for that activity.
4. In situations where faculty members determine that students will not be able to achieve the learning outcomes of the course because of excessive absence, faculty members will inform students of this situation. As long as students notify faculty in accordance with this procedure and the course design cannot accommodate excessive absence, faculty shall notify students of the need to seek a different section of the course or a different course before the end of the drop-add period.
5. Faculty members retain the exclusive right to determine when students have completed the missed work according to the special arrangement. Failure on the part of the student to adhere to the special arrangement or successfully complete the missed work may result in the student being penalized for missing a class.  

If a student feels that this policy has not been applied appropriately to their situation, the student should refer to the Student Complaint and Grievance Policy:  https://admin.mnsu.edu/organizational-information/policies-procedures/university-policies/student-complaints-and--grievances/ 

Nothing in this policy or procedure mitigates any student rights allotted by the Grade Appeal Policy.

Rationale

The mission of Minnesota State Mankato is to promote learning and scholarship and to further the educational development of each of its students. It is in the interest of both Minnesota State Mankato and the students to outline academic protections for students when they miss class for legitimate reasons, even while we aim for an atmosphere of honesty and trust between the faculty and student body. This policy attempts to address situations in which such participation necessitates the absence of the student from class. This policy presents guidelines and a standardized procedure to address these situations.

Some students will elect to enrich their classroom experience through their participation in a variety of university-sponsored or -sanctioned events and activities. These students recognize their own responsibilities to balance the demands of their participation in these extracurricular and/or co-curricular activities with the academic obligations they assume when they enter an institution of higher learning. At the same time, the university must acknowledge a similar level of responsibility in assuring that these students are not unfairly penalized or disadvantaged academically through their participation in these extracurricular and/or co-curricular university-sponsored or -sanctioned events.

Students may also have extenuating circumstances that require them to miss a scheduled class session.  In those extenuating circumstances, this policy will afford the same protections as participating in university-sponsored or -sanctioned events.