Student Course Attendance

Procedure Administrator: Provost

Authority: N.J.S.A. 18A:64-8; N.J.S.A. 18A:62-4.2, Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, Public Law 110-315 Section 487, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972

Effective Date: June 4, 2014; August 31, 2020; August 31, 2023; April 9, 2026

Index Cross-References: Policy II-30 – Course Attendance Policy; Procedure 6950 Disability, Accessibility, and Accommodation

Procedure File Number: 2030

Approved By: Dr. Joe Bertolino, President

I.      COURSE ATTENDANCE

Course attendance is an individual student responsibility. Students are expected to attend class meetings; interact with faculty and students for in-person, hybrid, and online courses; and complete all assignments as determined by instructors in the course syllabus.

On or by the first day of the course, faculty are expected to provide the course syllabus that identifies major exam(s), assignment dates, and information regarding the class or online course attendance policies and requirements. Faculty are also expected to explain how attendance and/or online course participation or interaction will relate to the final course grade and how unavoidable absences, other than those that are medically-related, need to be documented.

Notwithstanding an instructor’s attendance policy, students receiving financial aid may be subject to attendance confirmation requirements specific to the type of aid received. Additional information concerning the terms and conditions of financial aid can be found on the University’s Financial Aid website.

Programs with specialized accreditation, licensure, or certification may have stricter attendance policies which may supersede the University’s general policy. Such policies are defined in program handbooks. Students should reference their program handbook to view program-specific policies.

International students on F-1 or J-1 visas must maintain a full courseload and attend all classes, maintaining academic progress. Students on F-1 or J-1 status may not take more than one online course. If an international student needs to drop below a full load, or if they need to extend their program, they must consult with their DSO/ARO.

II.    EXCUSED ABSENCES

1.    Absences at the Instructor’s Discretion

a.    At the discretion of the instructor, an absence from a class meeting or from required participation in an online course may be excused with supporting documentation for the following reasons:

i.        Approved University functions (participation in activities or organizations which represent the University).

ii.        Death or major illness in student’s immediate family (immediate family for this Procedure only includes, mother, father, sister, brother, grandparents, spouse, legally-joined partners in a civil union, legally-joined domestic partners, children, step-children, grandchildren, step-father, step-mother and others as deemed appropriate by faculty member).

iii.        Illness of dependent.

iv.        Serious injury or illness that impacts the student’s ability to participate in coursework or has the potential to impact the health and safety of others.

2.    University-Recognized Excused Absences

a.    Absences in the following cases are governed by federal and/or state laws or are recognized by the University as excused absences and are not at the discretion of the instructor:

i.        Active military service (In accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:62-4.2, Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, Public Law 110-315 Section 487).

ii.        Pregnancy/childbirth — In accordance with Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, absences due to pregnancy, parenting, or related conditions, shall be excused for as long as the student’s doctor deems the absence to be medically necessary.

iii.        Religious holidays, including travel for that purpose (it shall be the responsibility of the student to provide the instructor with reasonable notice of the dates of religious holidays on which they will be absent, ordinarily within the first ten business days of the semester).

iv.        Participation in a legal proceeding requiring the student’s presence.

v.        A temporary separation from campus. Students who are temporarily separated from campus may not attend class until authorized by the Dean of Students (or designee). Students are not permitted to complete coursework during this time.

3.    If there are excused absences, the student shall be responsible for academic material as follows:

a.    Course Work

“Short-term absence” in fall and spring terms is defined as five or less consecutive business days. For short-term absences, including those related to illness, the student should inform the instructor in writing, seek missing work, and request a date by which the work needs to be completed. In cases where the student misses an exam, presentation, or other significant assignment, faculty may request documentation confirming the student’s inability to attend, provided that such documentation does not include or disclose a medical diagnosis.

Longer term absences, or more than five consecutive business days, may require medical documentation, The student should immediately complete the Notification of Absence to Faculty form which will notify the appropriate University offices and staff of the situation.

Medical diagnosis should not be requested by or shared with an instructor or staff member.

In all cases, the student is responsible for reaching out to all instructors regarding their absence(s) and engaging in discussion with those instructors regarding missed work. In line with class policies, the instructor may provide an opportunity for the student to make up work or an alternative assignment to be completed by a specific date, unless otherwise specified by program guidelines. Students are responsible for reviewing and understanding course and program policies in the syllabus and program handbooks.

b.    Provisions for Making Up Work

Where a student has had an excused absence (religious holidays, military service, childbirth, temporary separation from campus, etc.), the instructor must provide the student with an opportunity to make up any work that contributes to the final grade or provide a satisfactory alternative assignment to be completed by a specified date. If a student is unable to complete the coursework within the academic term, the instructor may temporarily assign an incomplete ‘I’ grade upon receipt and approval of the student’s request for an Agreement for Completion of Course Work. Make up work shall be completed in a time frame compliant with the University Bulletin for an incomplete grade.

If the excused absence is for a significant amount time such that the instructor does not deem it possible for the student to make up the material, a late withdrawal may be requested if the student follows the request process described in the applicable University Bulletin.

After following these steps, if students need further assistance with excused absences, they should submit a Stockton Cares referral.

III.                UNEXCUSED ABSENCES

The option to allow students to complete work missed from unexcused absences will be determined by the instructor within the boundaries of the course. Faculty may have attendance policies that result in penalties for unexcused absences.

IV. COURSE WITHDRAWALS AND INCOMPLETES

Students who need to withdraw or request an incomplete notation from a course(s) due to illness should refer to Procedure 2017.

Review History: