Attendance Policy

It is expected that students will attend all course-related activities. The attendance policy for a course is outlined on the course syllabus.

Absences, for any reason, do not relieve the student from responsibility for completing the essential requirements of a course. Whenever possible, it is the student’s responsibility to discuss an anticipated absence with the faculty. For unexpected absences, the student should contact the faculty as soon as possible to discuss a plan for the missed coursework.

Extended Absence

If a student is absent from classes for three days or more due to extenuating circumstances (including illness, death in immediate family), the student or designee should notify the Center for Career and Academic Planning. Once notified, the Center will share the report with faculty and appropriate University staff. If the absence exceeds one week, documentation may be required.

When possible, the student and faculty are encouraged to work collaboratively to outline a plan to make up the missed course work or to find equivalent ways for the student to complete the essential course requirements without compromising course standards. A professor may suggest that it is in the student’s best interest to withdraw from a course, but it is ultimately the student’s decision whether or not to withdraw. If the student decides to withdraw, the student must follow through by dropping the course through Fish ‘R’ Net by the published deadline. If the student withdraws from all enrolled courses in a semester, the online Withdraw from University form must be completed.

Repeated Absence

Where an instructor judges that repeated absence from a course has prevented a student’s satisfactory achievement, a grade of “FA” (failure due to absence) for that course may be submitted. Repeated absence is sufficient cause for suspension.

Late Arrivals

No instructor is obligated to admit a student to class who arrives late. A late arrival may be considered an absence.

Policy on Students, Employees and Religious Observance

To extend protection to students and employees when their religious observances or “holidays of conscience” (to include the official observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday) may conflict with academic and work responsibilities and to reasonably accommodate individuals’ religious obligations and practices without penalty, based on good faith of all persons concerned, St. John Fisher University has established the following policy and procedures:

• No student will be dismissed from or refused admission at St. John Fisher University because he or she is unable to participate in any examination, study, or work requirements because of his or her religious obligations and practices.
• St. John Fisher University will accept the responsibility of making available to each student who is absent from school because of his or her religious obligations and practices an equivalent opportunity to make up any examination, study, or academic work requirements that may have been missed because of such absence on any particular day or days. No fees will be charged to the students for costs incurred by the University’s provisions of special classes, examinations, or academic work requirements.
• Faculty members who miss classes because of their religious obligations and practices will work with their department chairs to assure that the classes will be conducted and the coursework carried on during such absence on any particular day or days. Staff members will use a vacation day or days for such absence.
• In effecting the provisions of this policy, the University’s administration and faculty agree to exercise the fullest measure of good faith and agree that no adverse or prejudicial effects will result to any student, who avails himself or herself of the institution’s policy on religious observances.
• St. John Fisher University requires students to notify their instructors, in writing, no later than the fifteenth day after the first day of the semester of each class scheduled for a day on which the student or faculty member will be absent.
• St. John Fisher University will annually publish this policy regarding religious observance for students, and employees in both the University Catalog, and in the Employee Handbook. Dates for written notification mentioned in the preceding paragraph will be listed in the semester academic calendar.
• All employees are advised to consult the Employee Handbook for details on Religious Observation Policies.
• Faculty members who miss classes for any reason, including for religious observance in accordance with the Employee Handbook, work with division chairs to assure that the classes are conducted and coursework carried on during such absence.