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FAQs for Faculty

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The Class Attendance Policy

What is the purpose of the Class Attendance Policy? 

The intent of the policy is to comply with the law, to support instructors in their course teaching methods, to ensure that no student gets an unfair advantage from an absence, and to provide a fair learning experience for students with a University Approved Absence (UAA). The purpose of the policy is not to limit a professor’s ability to work with a student on any absence, even those specified in the policy. It is simply to provide extra advocacy for students who experience an absence that meets the criteria of the 3 categories noted in the policy. 

The policy does not apply to every class absence, but only three specific categories of absences intended for use only in very limited circumstances as outlined below from the Class Attendance Policy: 

  1. Authorized University Activities
  2. Disability/religious observance/pregnancy/short-term military service, as required by law or approved by the Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office (EOC), or in the case of short-term military service, the Dean of Students 
  3. Significant health conditions and/or personal family emergencies as approved by the Dean of Students (DOS), Gender Violence Service Coordinators (GVSC), and/or the Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office 

Can instructors work independently with students on their class absence? 

Yes. Instructors have the authority to make adjustments for an absence even if it is not eligible for a UAA (such as a professional opportunity, an illness outside the scope of a UAA, etc.). Instructors should not ask students for a UAA every time they miss class. We encourage instructors to work directly with their students whenever possible. 

Requesting University Approved Absence 

What documentation are students required to submit with a UAA request? 

Students must submit documentation to the UAAO that supports their request and provide enough information for the UAAO to determine if the request meets the qualifications of a UAA. Requiring documentation ensures that absence requests meet the high bar that is intended by the policy and ensures that students are connected with ongoing support for these significant situations. Note: Students are not required to submit this same documentation to the instructor. 

As a faculty member, you can work with your students using your own course policies for absences without requiring the same documentation standards as the UAAO. For example: Professors have full authority to make academic adjustments for non-UAA absences by setting an expectation for documentation (e.g., an invitation to present at a conference, professional interview, a doctor’s note, etc.) or foregoing a documentation requirement on the basis that communication about absences is subject to the honor code. 

Will I be informed why my student has a University Approved Absence? 

No. You will simply receive a notification from the UAAO that a student has a University Approved Absence for the dates listed in the notification. 

Note: Replying to the notification email will respond to the UAAO inbox, not to the student.

University Approved Activities 

What are examples of authorized university activities? 

Students acting as official representatives of the University who are participating in University-sanctioned activities may be granted a University Approved Absence. An absence is an Authorized University Activity if the absence serves a purpose for the whole university as the university, as a collective entity. An absence is not university-authorized if it is for an activity affiliated with one class, one major, one professor, or one student organization. 

An example would be if the student body president is attending a national conference of student body presidents, sponsored by the Dean of Students. A second example would be required participation in and support for NCAA varsity sports.  

What if I have a student-athlete in my class? 

Athletic competitions may qualify for University Approved Absences if they are for an NCAA sports team. Competitions for teams or events that do not fall under the NCAA do not qualify for UAAs. Additional information can be found out https://aspsa.unc.edu/for-faculty-who-have-student-athletes-in-class/. 

Significant Health Conditions 

What are examples of significant health conditions? 

For UAAs, significant health conditions are generally those that prevent a student from attending class for 5 consecutive class-days. Examples of significant health conditions may include (but are not limited to): 

  • Emergency surgery
  • Hospitalization
  • Severe communicable diseases that require isolation (i.e. measles, mumps, tuberculosis, varicella)
  • A severe injury/condition that affects mobility and/or cognition
  • Acute exacerbation of a chronic mental health issue

Do common health issues (e.g., flu, viruses, strep throat, RSV, migraines, etc.) fall under the Class Attendance Policy? 

No. University Approved Absences are reserved for significant health conditions, not for common illnesses. Common or short-term illnesses such as mild to moderate cold, COVID-19, and flu-like symptoms, food poisoning, etc. do not automatically meet the criteria for a UAA. 

Note: This policy does not change an instructor’s authority over class attendance adjustments related to students with commonly occurring illnesses or other requests to miss class. Professors are encouraged to consider absence needs due to symptomatic common illnesses and work directly with students when possible. 

My student has been told by a medical professional they need to isolate, does this qualify for UAAs? 

Students who test positive for severe communicable diseases such as measles, mumps, tuberculosis, varicella are eligible for a University Approved Absence for any classes missed during their isolation period. Only students who test positive for severe communicable diseases and provide supporting documentation may be issued University Approved Absences for their isolation period.  

Note: The student does not have to provide this documentation to the instructor; only to the UAAO as part of the UAA request. 

Personal or Family Emergencies

What are examples of personal or family emergencies?

Examples of a personal emergency/family emergency may include (but are not limited to):

  • The death or acute onset of a life-threatening illness of an immediate family member
  • Direct exposure to or involvement in a current or recently occurring personal traumatic event
  • A dramatic and sudden change to life circumstances beyond the student’s control

Alternative exam/make-up activities: