Present Catalog Statement

Class absences may occur when a student represents the University in official competitions or performances (athletic teams, cheerleading, band, chorus, orchestra, debate, theatre, ROTC, etc.). In these cases, academic departments and faculty should exercise fair and consistent standards for resolving questions of missed assignments and tests. Faculty and staff who supervise student teams and organizations are expected to schedule competitions and performances to minimize the number of classes that students will be forced to miss. Names of participating students and the dates of class conflicts should be provided to the students' instructors prior to participation. Students and instructors should resolve potential conflicts regarding class attendance before the semester course withdrawal deadline.

Proposed Statement

Class absences may occur when a student represents the University in official competitions or performances (athletic teams, cheerleading, band, chorus, orchestra, debate, theatre, ROTC, etc.). Names of participating students and the dates of class conflicts must be provided to the students' instructors prior to participation. In these cases, students should be given an opportunity to make up class examinations or other graded assignments that are missed as a result of this participation or related travel. The manner in which examinations or other assignments missed as a result of these activities are to be made up is left to the discretion of each individual faculty member. However, students should not be penalized in any way for these absences. Faculty and staff who supervise student teams and organizations are expected to schedule competitions and performances to minimize the number of classes that students will be forced to miss. Also, students and their counselors or advisors are expected to plan their class schedules so as to minimize the number of classes that the students will be forced to miss. Students and instructors should resolve potential conflicts regarding class attendance before the semester course withdrawal deadline.