12.2. Notification of Absences
For all academic courses, students must notify course faculty by e-mail in advance if they are unable to attend class. Messages can be left for faculty using voice mail, e-mail, or in the Program office (617-724-4499). Messages should indicate the expected length of and reasons for the absence. Email correspondences about absences should be sent to the program manager, course coordinator, and your advisor. Absences will only be excused for acceptable reasons, such as emergencies or illness. Absences due to illness that extend beyond two days will require a note from a medical provider stating the student was seen for illness and unable to attend class. Students must inform their faculty advisor of any anticipated absence due to religious observations the first week of the semester in which the absence will occur.
Faculty recognizes that personal responsibilities may, on occasion, require a student to miss class. A student may be excused from class for one day per semester for personal reasons that do not fit the category of accepted absences in the paragraph above. Such absences are not intended to be “personal days” nor should they be considered one “allowable” day off. In keeping with a student’s professional commitment and the Program’s requirement of class attendance, these absences should be a result of unavoidable conflicts with important personal commitments. Requests for a planned absence must be made at least two weeks in advance. Planned absences cannot be taken on days that include any examinations or clinical experiences. The student must fill out the Request for Planned Absence form (see Appendix C), obtain permission from and signatures of the course coordinator for each class that will be missed, and then submit the form to her/his advisor. Students are responsible for all material covered on days that are missed for personal reasons. In this instance, although the student may be allowed to make up the Individual Readiness Assessment Test (IRAT) for a class, they will not be able to make up the Team Readiness Assessment (TRAT) test that day and will receive a zero for that day's TRAT.
Consistent, timely attendance is considered one element of professional conduct. Chronic or unexcused absences (>1 per semester) or lateness (>3 per semester) may trigger a Notification of Concern and/or referral to the Student Development Committee for consideration of action based on Failure to Meet Professional Conduct Criteria (Section 9.6). Students are encouraged to speak with their faculty advisor if they are experiencing difficulty getting to class.