Class Attendance
Students are responsible for the entirety of the work in each of their registered courses. Instructors may consider individual class attendance when determining a student’s final grade for a course. In addition to lowering a grade, chronic or excessive, as defined by their program or the syllabus, absences may justify a failing grade for the entire course. Students should consult their program handbook and course instructors for specific consequences, policies, and procedures for absences and required makeup work. Scheduled classes have priority when in conflict with the out-of-class exam or other activity scheduled for another course.
Eligible students with a documented disability are granted reasonable accommodations in Simmons courses and should consult the Policy for Occasional Absences Accommodation and other policies of the Office of Accessibility, in addition to the policy below.
All students with a health-related absence:
Students are responsible for informing their instructors in advance of absence or tardiness, whenever possible.Students are expected to communicate proactively with their instructors in advance In such cases, it is of the utmost importance that students contact their instructors as soon as possible to communicate their situation and make arrangements relating to work due or required makeup work, as appropriate and allowed by the instructor.
Athletes and students involved in other official Simmons games/meets or co-curricular activities should inform their instructors of potential conflicts between scheduled classes and scheduled programs or athletic contests at the start of each semester. The faculty member has sole discretion to allow an absence due to an event in conflict with class or lab time, including Simmons-sanctioned and outside events or commitments.
Program-Specific Policies Regarding Absences and Absence from Clinical/ Field Placement/Practicum
Program policies relating to absences will align with the policies herein, however, those policies may include additional information that is helpful and necessary for students to know. For instance, each program may have specific requirements relating to absences beyond those specified in this policy. Students are expected to be familiar with their program-specific requirements around absences, as well as the content of this policy. Students should consult program-specific handbooks for additional policies, including those on placement and practicum attendance. Students should consult their program handbook and clinical or field manual for specific consequences, policies, and procedures for absences and makeup work regarding absences from clinical or practicum placements.
Absence due to Military Obligations
Students who are required to participate in weekly or monthly meetings, weekend drills, annual trainings, military schooling or any other training or official military event as a member of the ROTC, National Guard, Reserves, or the Inactive Ready Reserve, will be excused from class. The student is required to contact their faculty regarding making up work prior to missing class. Students should consult their program handbook for specific procedures and documentation requirements.
Students who are called to active duty should consult the Leave of Absence Policy.
Absence due to Religious Observance
Students who are unable, because of their religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in an examination, class, or work requirement on a particular day shall be excused from the class, study, or work requirement and shall be provided with an opportunity to make up the examination, study, or work they may have missed consistent with Massachusetts General Law Chapter 151C, Section 2B. That law states:
Any student in an educational or vocation-al training institution, other than a religious or a denominational educational or vocation-al training institution, who is unable, because of his/her religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study, or work requirement on a particular day shall be excused from any such examination or study or work requirement, and shall be provided with an opportunity to make up such examination, study, or work missed because of such absence on any particular day, provided, however, that such makeup examination or work shall not create an unreasonable burden upon such school. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to the said student such opportunity. No adverse or prejudicial effect shall result to any student because of his/her availing himself of the provisions of the sections.
Questions about absences for religious observance should be directed to the professor.
Absence due to Jury Duty
During the course of the academic year, students may receive notification that they have been summoned for jury duty. Students who attend college in Massachusetts are required by law to fulfill their civic duty if summoned, even though their permanent or "official" residence may be in another state. If the date for which students have been summoned is inconvenient, they may request a postponement for up to one year.
Students who are required to miss classes because of jury duty may notify the Office of Student Life by calling 617-521-2124. Staff members in the Office of Student Life will notify the appropriate faculty members, who will work with the students to make up any missed assignments or exams. Upon completion of jury duty, students are expected to bring a copy of the documentation of their service to the Office of Student Life.