Course Attendance Policy

Class attendance is important to student learning and hence central to Messiah University’s educational mission; therefore, regular class attendance is expected. This entails physical attendance in the classroom for courses designated as operating in a face-to-face modality.  However, the University recognizes that certain types of educational activities take place outside the classroom and can lead to conflicts with class attendance. Guidelines for student attendance and absence are provided below.

  1. Individual course policies on class attendance are left to the discretion of the instructor (or academic department). Individual faculty members (or academic departments) are expected to design and implement attendance policies that are supportive of the University-endorsed educational programming outside of the classroom and, to the extent it is possible, provide ways a student can make up the portions of the courses missed due to student participation in University-endorsed educational activities without penalty.
  2. Attendance policies must be conveyed to students at the beginning of the semester and must be delineated in the syllabus. Attendance policies must address the following: (1) the extent to which physical or remote attendance is required, (2) the role absences play in the attendance policy, (3) the policy for making up absences, and (4) the impact of attendance/absences on student evaluation.
  3. Faculty should be respectful of student schedules and the class time assigned to other courses. Faculty have been given an assigned time for their courses, and it is, in general, expected that instruction will take place within this designated time. Any exceptions must be stated in the syllabus.
  4. If an out-of-class requirement in one course conflicts with the class time of another course, the faculty member making the out-of-class requirement must provide other ways for the student to fulfill the requirement of the required out-of-class requirement.

Procedures and Protocol for Absences related to University Endorsed Activities

  1. Steps will be taken to minimize student absences related to University-endorsed activities. Toward this end:
    1. All athletic contest schedules will be reviewed and approved by the Athletic Director and the Faculty Athletic Representative prior to the beginning of the semester.
    2. All artistic performance programming will be reviewed and approved by the Dean of the School of Arts, Culture and Society prior to the beginning of the semester.
    3.  All student absences due to student professional presentations will be reviewed and approved by the appropriate School Dean at least one month prior to the activity.
  2. All parties involved will be made aware of the scheduled absences well ahead of the date(s) of absence.
    1. To the extent it is possible, absences due to University-endorsed activities will be identified at the beginning of each semester or term.
    2. At the beginning of each semester, the Faculty Athletic Representative will send all teaching faculty the approved dismissal times for all scheduled athletic contests.
    3. At the beginning of each semester, the Dean of the School of Arts, Culture and Society will send all teaching faculty a schedule of approved performances which may result in class conflicts.
  3. Upon receipt and approval by the appropriate supervisor, anyone sponsoring the University-endorsed educational activity must complete the “Instructor/ Academic Notification System” that is available in Banner Self Service under the Faculty and Advisors menu two weeks prior to the activity. This form must be filled out in full, and upon completion will be sent to each faculty member that is impacted.
  4. Students participating in University-endorsed activities are still required to directly notify in advance the faculty member of any class they must miss. This must be done at least a week prior to the planned absence. Students are also responsible for meeting with the faculty member to work out the conditions for completing any work or assignments in advance with the attendance policy of the course.
  5. No University-endorsed activities that result in student absences may be scheduled on the days before or after any University break or during finals week. Any exceptions must be approved by the Athletic Director, Vice Provost for Student Success and Engagement, School Dean or Provost.
  6. It is understood that flexibility in these procedures will be granted in the case of conference and NCAA playoffs, or approved late-developing opportunities for student performance or presentation.

Absences due to student illness or critical illness/death in immediate family

For class absence due to personal illness, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor(s) prior to the class, if possible. If prior notification is not feasible, the student should ensure that instructors are notified by the end of the day on which the classes meet.

For deaths in the family and similar emergencies, students should notify the Office of Student Success and Engagement via email or call (717) 796-5234 with the pertinent details. The Office of  Success and Engagement will notify the faculty of the student involved; therefore, it is important that the student notify the office as soon as possible.

For longer-term medically related absences, students should refer to the policies for Medical Leave, Medical Absence, and Medical Incomplete. Students needing these longer-term medical absences should reach out proactively to the Engle Center.

Appeal Process

If a student believes that the above policy has not been followed, he or she can appeal to the Provost.

Make-Up Work

It is the prerogative of the individual instructor to decide whether students who miss a class examination are granted make-up privileges. Any arrangements are to be made between the student and the instructor.