Makeup Work for Legitimate Absences Policy

Full policy and related FAQs available at: Makeup Work for Legitimate Absences

Instructors may not penalize students for absence during the academic term due to unavoidable or legitimate circumstances.

  • illness, physical or mental, of the student or his or her dependent;
  • medical conditions related to pregnancy;
  • participation in intercollegiate athletic events;
  • subpoenas;
  • jury duty;
  • military service;
  • bereavement, including travel related to bereavement;
  • religious observances; and
  • activities sponsored by the University if identified by the senior academic officer for the campus or his or her designee as the basis for excused absences.

For other circumstances, the instructor has primary responsibility to decide on a case-by-case basis if an absence is due to unavoidable or legitimate circumstances. Instructors have discretion in these cases.

Student and faculty responsibility for Notification, Verification of Absences, and Make-up Work

Students must notify their instructors of circumstances leading to a request for makeup work as soon as possible and provide information to explain the absence.

The instructor has the right to request verification for absences and students must provide verification if requested. (See links at left for Morris offices that provide verification.)

The instructor may not penalize the student and must provide reasonable and timely accommodation or opportunity to make up missed work, including exams or other course requirements if the student: was absent due to circumstances identified above; has complied with the notification requirements; and has provided verification if the instructor has requested further information.

Note: Instructors are not obligated to accommodate students missing so much of the critical components of a course, even for legitimate reasons, that arrangements for makeup work would not be reasonable.

Appeals:  If a student believes they have been wrongly denied the opportunity to make up work due to disagreement with the instructor about the legitimacy or unavoidability of an absence, the student should pursue their complaint through their Division Chair and the Academic Dean.