Class Attendance
MVNU is a teaching institution and, as such, it places a high premium on classroom attendance in order to support and elevate academic excellence. Students, therefore, are required to attend all class meetings of courses for which they are confirmed, including scheduled final exams.
In the event of absence, students are responsible for contacting faculty prior to the absence, unless providentially hindered. Students are responsible for all course work missed.
Attendance policies are to be included in all course syllabi. Decisions about make-up work and grade penalties for unexcused absences are at the instructor's discretion, except for final exams (see Final Examinations in this Catalog). An excused absence is one that does not incur academic penalties.
Excused Absences
The following situations constitute excused absences for students, including final exam week. The procedures that follow are also in effect.
University-Sanctioned Events:
- Field trips and other off-campus events that are University sponsored - Students are responsible for initiating communication with faculty at least one week in advance of the absence. Faculty are to consult the official policy for reporting procedures for Off-Campus Travel.
- Early release for on-campus events that are University sponsored - Students are responsible for initiating communication with faculty at least one week in advance of the absence. Event organizers (usually faculty) are responsible for communicating with Academic Affairs regarding requests for early release notifications.
- Athletic Department competitions (varsity, reserve, women's lacrosse, and esports) - Students are responsible for initiating communication with their faculty about their team membership and schedule. The Athletic Department also sends notifications to faculty, including when students are excused from classes. Faculty may verify team rosters and schedules on the web at http://www.mvnucougars.com. Updates are made for roster changes, game cancellations, rescheduled games, pre- and post-season play, and tournament play.
- Students competing in regionals or nationals for a club sport or arts event - The commissioner of club sports and arts will contact Academic Affairs.
- Athletes who are unable to participate in competition events as a result of injury and who miss class for any athletic event are not excused from class.
- CCP students are excused from classes for University-sponsored events, as well as extracurricular events that are sanctioned by the student's home high school or middle school. Students must communicate with faculty and provide documentation of their participation in the event for the absence to be excused. The documentation should be verified by a school administrator, coach, or director in charge of the event for it to be valid.
Medical, Legal, and Military Events:
- Emergencies or death in the immediate family - Students are responsible for contacting Academic Affairs as soon as is practical. Upon receipt of information (written or verbal) from the student, a relative of the student, or an MVNU faculty or staff member, Academic Affairs will notify applicable individuals. Immediate family includes parents, legal guardians, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and children.
- Legal responsibilities - Students must provide documentation to Academic Affairs no less than one week in advance of the obligation. Upon receipt of appropriate documentation, Academic Affairs will notify applicable individuals.
- Short-term illness (up to and including one week of classes) - If students miss class for reasons that are not extended in nature (e.g., doctor's appointment, cold, flu), they are not to be sent to the Academic Affairs Office. Instead, their absence will be excused by the faculty member. No further documentation is necessary. However, once a student has missed the equivalent of a week of classes for self-reported illness, they must notify Academic Affairs and follow the process for Extended illness/medical leave (below).
- Extended illness/medical leave (longer than the equivalent of one week of classes) - Upon receipt of appropriate documentation from the student, the student's parent or legal guardian, an MVNU faculty/staff member, or the student's primary healthcare provider (not the Student Nurse), Academic Affairs will notify all applicable individuals. Each subsequent absence requires additional documentation.
- After the equivalent of two weeks of missed classes, the student should notify Accessibility Services to initiate conversation about additional absences. In certain situations, it may be necessary for the student to withdraw or be withdrawn from a single class or multiple classes.
- Military responsibilities (up to three weeks of classes) - Students must provide documentation of military orders to Academic Affairs within one week of receiving orders. Upon receipt of appropriate documentation, Academic Affairs will notify all applicable individuals. If the leave of absence for military duty is to exceed three weeks, the student must contact the registrar to discuss a course of action. In certain situations, it may be necessary for the student to withdraw or be withdrawn from a single class or multiple classes.
- Other Situations - Other situations may impact class attendance. In such cases, the appropriate departments or individual will notify faculty directly. Academic Affairs has the final word on approval.