Attendance Policies for Absences and Missed Class due to Infectious Diseases

University Attendance Policies for Absences and Missed Class due to Infectious Diseases (such as COVID-19, influenza, and Monkeypox)

Updated: August 2022

The current public health situation in the US and NYC indicates that we will likely encounter cases of both COVID and Monkey Pox this fall, as well as potentially other infectious diseases. Please note recent university communications here and here for campus updates.

To maintain the health and safety of students, staff, and faculty during this academic year, and to support our students academically, below are guidelines regarding student absence.

For COVID-19 absences of 10 days or less:

Students who are adhering to isolation due to a diagnosis of COVID-19 must not attend class during their mandated isolation (which usually does not exceed ten days and, in many cases, will be less). Student absences relating to COVID-19 will be recognized as circumstances for which absences are excused, and students will not be penalized.

• Students must contact their instructor to inform them that they cannot attend in-person classes for medical reasons. The student may decide to share the reason for the absence but is not required to do so. Students must include the required dates of their absence and communicate regularly with the instructor about their ability to participate during that time. Faculty may not require documentation of such absences.
• As for any illness of short duration, students should work directly with their instructors to develop a plan to receive instruction and complete course-related work. Instructors are expected to make reasonable accommodations for students who miss classes, assignments, or exams due to necessary isolation related to COVID-19 illness.
• Depending on the size, format, and pedagogical goals of the class, instructors can support students in isolation in several ways to help students catch up on materials and assignments. For the duration of the short absence, support may include the following:
  • Record their lecture or class or make the existing recorded lectures available
  • Invite a remote student to “attend” via a Zoom link to be used only during this period
  • Create an activity that students could complete on their own to make up missed class or content
• Students should note that not all courses are being recorded, and they should be in touch with their instructor as to the best way to make up missed class and assignments.
• Instructors are not expected to teach additional hybrid or online sections to accommodate individual student absences of less than one week.

For extended absences – longer than 10 days:

Students who must be absent for longer than ten days due to an infectious disease must provide appropriate medical documentation to Disability Services (DS). Documentation must include the medical diagnosis and the estimated length of time off required (due to isolation or prolonged symptoms) and can be obtained from the Medical Services or Contact Tracing teams. DS will expedite their registration process for students requiring accommodations due to a prescribed extended medical absence due to an infectious disease. If appropriate, faculty members will be contacted by Disability Services or DS Liaison to review what accommodations can be provided to a student who has a prolonged absence. Students will not be penalized for extended absences.