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Policy Contact: Office of Academic Affairs

1. Purpose

   The University is obligated to encourage its primary constituents, the students, to meet their responsibilities to themselves, their families, classmates, instructors, and the taxpayers and donors who support higher education in South Dakota. This policy and its procedures set forth the University protocol for class attendance.

2. Policy
    
   1. Teaching and learning is a reciprocal process involving faculty and students. Faculty members have an obligation of holding classes on a regular basis and students have an expectation to attend and participate in classes on a regular basis. Faculty members determine the specific attendance policy for courses under their direct supervision and instruction. Attendance procedures must be stated in written form, in the course syllabus, and distributed or posted electronically to students at the beginning of each course. If attendance is required and will impact grading, this expectation shall be included in the syllabus.
       
   2. Any exceptions to the faculty member’s written attendance policy due to verified medical reasons, death of a family member or significant other, or verified extenuating circumstances judged acceptable by the instructor or the Office of Academic Affairs, will be honored. Absences for vacations, breaks, or personal interviews do not constitute a valid reason for absence.
       
   3. Faculty and administration will honor officially approved absences where individuals are absent in the interest of officially representing the University. Appropriate sanctioned activities include: Collegiate club sports and competitions; Conferences and workshops recognized by the University not related to academics; Commitments on behalf of the University (Students’ Association, Band, Choir, etc.); Intercollegiate athletics; and Professional activities recognized by the University related to academics (professional conference attendance, etc.)
       
   4. Students with official excused absences: Students with excused absences will be given appropriate make up work or instructor-determined equivalent opportunities for obtaining grades as students who were in attendance. Students with official excused absences are not to be penalized in course progress or evaluation. However, should excused absences be excessive, the faculty member may recommend withdrawal from the course(s) or award an incomplete grade.
       
   5. Attendance policies apply in the online classroom. Faculty members determine the specific attendance policy for courses under their direct supervision and instruction. Attendance procedures must be stated in written form and made available to students on the first day of the course. Common strategies for demonstrating “attendance” in an online course include login requirements per week, an identified number of discussion postings per week, consistent contact with peers and instructor, and/or other assignments as determined by the instructor. Also, students are expected to login to their class on the first day of the semester.
       
   6. Student-Athlete Class Attendance
      1. No student-athlete may be absent from more than ten (10) class sessions (including required laboratory sessions) of a given course in a semester.
      2. Athletic excused absences will not be approved during final examination period with the exception of required conference or NCAA activities.
      3. In the interest of safety for student-athletes and staff, missed class-time resulting from travel delays associated with inclement weather will be excused.
          
3. Procedures
    
   1. If a student has an accident, falls ill, or suffers some other emergency over which they have no control, the student needs to gather whatever documentation is available (e.g., copies of repair or towing bills, accident reports, or statements from health care provider) to show the instructor. Such exceptions must be communicated and negotiated between the student and faculty member prior to the absence whenever possible.
       
   2. Requests for excused absences due to approved university-sponsored/recognized trips must be submitted one week prior to the trip or event. Students must present the completed approved trip absence card to the faculty member prior to the trip or event to have an official excused absence. Faculty members are not required to honor incomplete or late cards. Absences for trips or activities will not be approved during finals week.
       
   3. Arrangements regarding attendance should be negotiated with faculty members. If this is not possible, the students should go first to the department head/school director, and if necessary, next to the dean. The student may contact the Office of Academic Affairs if conflict cannot be resolved at these levels.
       
   4. Waivers to the above rules, as they pertain to student athletes, require the approval of the Intercollegiate Athletics Board or its designee at the time of scheduling or as soon thereafter as is reasonably possible (if circumstances dictate the need for finalizing a contract or schedule prior to gaining Intercollegiate Athletics Board approval).

4. Responsible Administrator

   The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, successor, or designee is responsible for bi-annual and ad hoc review of this policy and its procedures. The University President is responsible for approval of modifications to this policy and its procedures.

Approved by Faculty Senate on 04/27/2010; Academic Affairs on 04/28/2010; Adopted by the Intercollegiate Athletics Board on 2/26/10; by President on 8/27/13.