Excused Absences

St. Andrews values both academic commitment and the well-being of our students. Along with Health and Wellness we recognize that life circumstances sometimes introduce barriers that prevent students from fulfilling their academic obligations. The Excused Absence Policy provides guidance on how to manage such situations. This policy aims to create a fair and transparent process that balances academic integrity with compassion, ensuring that students can deal with unexpected situations without hindering their academic commitments. It is the responsibility of the student to initiate communication with their professor(s) concerning their absence(s) and if there will be an opportunity to make-up missed assignments and/or exams.

Excused Absences Categories

An excused absence can be provided from Health and Wellness for the following reasons:

Medical

• Student injury or illness that is too severe for the student to attend class and/or
  participate in course requirements
• Illness of a dependent family member (dependent is defined as someone that the
  student is financially responsible for taking care of).
• Serious illness of a close family member. Close (immediate) family member is
  defined as:
  • • Students spouse or lifelong partner
    • Child
    • Parent
    • Legal guardian
    • Sibling
    • Grandparent
    • Grandchild
    • Corresponding step- half- and in-laws’ relations.

Bereavement (Death in Family)

• Death of immediate family member. Immediate (close) family member is defined
  as:
  • Students spouse or lifelong partner
  • Child
  • Parent
  • Legal guardian
  • Sibling
  • Grandparent
  • Grandchild
  • Corresponding step- half- and in-laws’ relations.

Legal or Government Proceedings

• A student has been mandated to take part in a legal or government proceeding and
  the proceeding cannot be rescheduled. e.g.- Jury duty

Academic Program Opportunities

• Interviews for internships or full-time employment that are related to the students’
  academic program.
• Presenting research at a professional conference related to the students’ academic
  program.
• Interviews with programs that further the students’ educational opportunities that
  cannot be rescheduled.

University Sponsored Activities

• Athletic, academic, and other university sanctioned events
  • Note: These types of absences are usually handled by the professor, not
    Health and Wellness.

Other

• Not all life situations can be applied to one of the above categories, such as
  Religious Holidays and extreme emergency situations, therefore these life
  situations will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Excused Absence Approval Process

Professor(s) Notification

• Students should notify all of their professors as soon as possible of their absence.

Health and Wellness Notification & Documentation

• Following professor notification students should notify Health and Wellness concerning their absence by completing the Excused Absence Request Form.
• Students will need the following information to complete the form:
  • Student First and Last Name
  • Student ID Number
  • Explanation of absence
  • Documentation

Acceptable Documentation

Listed below are acceptable forms of documentation needed for Health and Wellness to issue an excused absence:

• Documentation from the medical provider that includes the name of the student, date(s) student was under medical care, and the date that the student may return to class.
• Documentation from the medical provider that provided care to the close family member. This documentation should include the name of the patient, date the patient was under medical care, and a return date if appropriate.
• Death certificate, obituary notice, or funeral service program of the student’s
  immediate family member.
• Copy of legal or government proceedings notification to appear.
•  Copy of notification for interviews for internships, jobs, and/or educational advancement.
• For absences that fall under “Other”, students will be informed on acceptable forms of documentation needed to support their absence.

Verification and Approval

• Upon completion and submittal of the Excused Absence Request Form the office of Health and Wellness will send the student a confirmation email stating that their request was received and is under review.
• Health and Wellness will review the information provided. If additional information is needed, the student will be notified via email.
• Students and their professors will receive an Excused Absence Notification email informing them if their request has been approved or denied. Notifications will be sent out within 3 instructional days of receiving the request.

NOTE: Long term medical and military absences are handled by the Dean of Academic Affairs.