Attendance
All students at Lindenwood University are expected to attend all classes and all class activities for which they have enrolled. Students who miss class are expected to inform the instructor and to make up the work to the instructor’s satisfaction.
At times, absence from class may be unavoidable—as in instances of prolonged illness, hospitalization, mandatory religious practices, or participation in an approved student activity. (For information regarding absence due to university-sponsored activity, see the Excused Absence Policy for Students Engaged in LU Authorized Events.) A student who has been hospitalized should submit official doctor's or hospital documentation to the accessibility manager located in the Library and Academic Resource Center, suite 346. Written verification of religious observances may be required.
In the case of unsatisfactory work due to excessive absences from class, the instructor may give ample warning to the student that the work is unsatisfactory and may report a final grade of F or AF to the registrar.
Note: Persons receiving benefits from the Veterans Administration are governed by special regulations concerning class attendance See Veterans’ Benefits, appearing earlier in this catalog.
Rationale
In the event that a student experiences the death of a loved one during the course of an academic term, the student may request to utilize the Bereavement Policy for Students. Lindenwood recognizes the impact that a loss may have on the emotional and academic well-being of a student and wishes to support the student during this stressful time. Lindenwood also understands that grief impacts every student differently and, therefore, this policy is not an attempt to quantify the impact of the death of a loved one or in any way address the nature of the grief process. Rather, the purpose of this policy is to provide a formal process to allow grieving students the time to attend the bereavement services, as well as the opportunity to be available for their families during times of death and grief.
Policy
Under this policy, a student will be excused from class for funeral leave, subsequent bereavement, and/or travel considerations. A student is entitled up to five (5) consecutive academic days of bereavement to mourn a death in the immediate family as defined below. For a death outside the immediate family as defined below, a student is entitled up to three (3) consecutive academic days of bereavement. While this policy excuses a student from class attendance, the student remains responsible for all material covered in class and must work with each individual professor upon return to complete any required work.
The immediate family includes:
- Parent(s) or legal guardian(s)
- Spouse
- Parent
- Stepparent
- Sibling
- Child
- Stepchild
- Grandparents or grandparents-in-law
- Father-in-law
- Mother-in-law
- Brother-in-law
- Sister-in-law
- Son-in-law
- Daughter-in-law
- Grandchild
International Students
An international student will be granted up to ten (10) consecutive days if there is a death in their immediate family. The student must provide the SASS office with relevant and appropriate documentation to certify the death of a relative. Such documentation may include a copy of a death certificate, a letter from a recognized religious leader (such as an Imam), a police or consular report, official government certification or similar. All submitted documentation must be official copies in English (or be accompanied by an official translation).
Exceptions
The University reserves the right to review specific situations to determine if exceptions to the established bereavement policy are warranted. Exceptions must be discussed and agreed upon prior to the start of the leave with the Director, Student Support Services in consultation with the Associate Provost, Academic Affairs and the AVP, Student Affairs.
Scope of Applicability
This policy is applicable to all full- and part-time graduate and undergraduate students.
Process and Notification
The student or a representative (family member, room/suitemate, on-campus faculty/staff) must notify the Student Academic Support Services (SASS) Office prior to the start of the bereavement leave. The student is required to provide appropriate documentation to the SASS Office. Upon receipt of the appropriate documentation, a representative from SASS will notify the necessary and appropriate on-campus offices (faculty, success coach/academic advisor, athletic coaches, Residence Life) of a student’s bereavement leave and anticipated return date. Upon return to the institution, it is the responsibility of the student to communicate with their instructors about any missed assignments and arrange to complete missed work. In keeping with this policy, instructors shall excuse the student from class according to this policy and provide an opportunity for the student to complete missed quizzes, exams, papers, other required work and/or alternative assignments. Students who have followed this policy should not incur academic penalties.
Members of the faculty shall have the option to adjust course requirements at their discretion to assist the student in ways deemed appropriate including, but not limited to, the following:
- Extension of due dates
- Providing make-up exams
- Assigning alternative assignments and/or evaluations
- Assigning a grade of Incomplete
- Issuing the student a final grade for coursework earned to date without a requirement to complete remaining academic assignments (typically for situations occurring within the last two weeks of the semester)
- Other measures agreed upon by the instructor and the student
Documentation
Any student who wishes to utilize this policy is required to provide documentation to the Student Academic Support Services (SASS) Office. Acceptable documents may include: a funeral program, obituary, signed letter from funeral home, or death certificate. Failure to provide documentation will result in the absences being considered unexcused.
Appeal
If an instructor fails to follow this policy, the student may appeal the instructor’s decision in writing to the Associate Provost, Academic Affairs.
Counseling Services
Lindenwood University’s Student Counseling and Resource Center is available to assist students and provide counseling services if so desired by the student. Students may also access free crisis and scheduled teletherapy through Uwill while away from campus and upon their return.
Academic Support
Lindenwood University’s Student Academic Support Services (SASS) Office is available to assist students and provide academic support if so desired by the student.
Title 38 of the U.S. Code (Law) states that an educational institution may not take the following actions when a member receives orders for a period of service:
- Assigning the member a failing grade,
- Reducing the member’s grade point average,
- Characterizing any member’s absence(s) as unexcused, or
- Assessing a financial penalty on a member because of a withdraw or leave of absence due to receiving orders for service.
Lindenwood University allows students participating in required military duties to be excused from class. Military duties covered under this policy include but are not limited to military deployment, required annual military training, ROTC activities and civilian deployments in support of federal operations. For service members holding Reserve and National Guard status, weekend duty (drill) requirements should not interfere with normal school schedules. However, if a situation arises that requires absence from class due to duty/drill requirements, this absence can also be excused if the required absence is verified by the commanding officer or other affiliated Guard leader.
If circumstances permit, students should notify instructors of all absences for military duty prior to the absence. Instructors may request documentation/verification of the military duty and require that the absence be verified by the Office of Veteran Affairs. If an exigent circumstance arises, where notification is not possible prior to the absence, the student should contact the instructor and/or university as soon as possible to present documentation of the reason for the absence as well as the reason for late notification. When make-up work is pertinent, students who have provided their professors with notice should be afforded the opportunity to complete assigned work. Alternatively, students can be assigned an educationally equivalent substitutable activity at a time and place mutually agreed upon by the student and the instructor.
No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student with excused absences for official university activities or military duties.
Note: Students enrolled in classes with extremely compressed meeting schedules will not be excused from class attendance if participation in the activity would cause the student to miss a significant portion of the scheduled meeting time. Students who enroll in such a class and find that they must be absent will be advised to withdraw from the class.
Lindenwood University allows students engaged in official sports contests, arts events, approved field trips, approved conferences, etc., to be excused from class for university-sponsored events in which those students are officially representing the university. Students are required to communicate personally with their professors regarding their anticipated absences and to arrange for missed work in advance of their university-authorized absences. When make-up work is pertinent, students who have provided their professors with advance notice should be afforded the opportunity to complete that work or an educationally equivalent and substitutable activity at a time and place mutually agreed upon by the student and the instructor.
Note: Students enrolled in classes with extremely compressed meeting schedules will not be excused from class attendance, even for a university-authorized event if participation in the event would cause the student to miss a significant portion of the scheduled meeting time. Students who enroll in such a class and find that they must be absent will be advised to withdraw from the class.
All members of the Lindenwood community have responsibilities to ensure that the Excused Absence Policy functions properly and efficiently for students, staff, and faculty. Below are the responsibilities of each party affected by or involved with the Excused Absence Policy:
Athletics Department
The Lindenwood Athletics Department will provide notice of any upcoming student-athlete absence for a sporting event or related, excused sports activity. The notice will be sent through LindenCircle. This notice is to inform faculty that the student-athlete is representing the university in an athletics event or function. It is the responsibility of the student-athletes to remind professors of their absence at least 48 hours in advance and to arrange for any missed work. Exceptions to the 48 hour rule should be noted in the LindenCircle excuse form and include last-minute travel roster substitutions, changes in schedule due to inclement weather, and/or qualifying competition.
Academic Departments
A faculty member or academic department sponsoring a special co-curricular event or outing should first complete a field trip form and submit it to the associate provost for engaged learning for approval. This form should list the name of each student attending the outing, along with a sponsor signature, confirming that all students who will be traveling have signed a travel waiver. Once the outing is approved, the associate provost will send notice via LindenCircle of the excused absence.
Professors
Professors affected by excused student absences should make reasonable accommodations for excused students who are missing class or other academic activities because of their participation in an event or other function related to their participation in a scheduled, university-authorized co-curricular event. Professors should, in advance of any such excused absences, stipulate in writing in the course syllabus their expectations of and procedures for students who must miss class for authorized reasons. Each professor’s expectations and procedures should meet the parameters outlined in this Excused Absence Policy and should be reviewed with all students during the first week of class.
Students
Students who must miss class for a Lindenwood sporting event or other Lindenwood-authorized activity must, in person or via email, provide advance notice to all professors whose classes they will miss with specific details of their upcoming absence. If possible, this notice should be provided at least 72 hours in advance of the affected class meetings. If 72-hours’ notice is not possible, the student should notify professors as soon as possible. This personal notice shall be given in addition to the general notice provided by the Lindenwood Athletics Department or academic department sponsoring the event. In each case, the student is also expected to prepare thoroughly for and promptly engage in any substitute or make-up assignment or activity.