Dear Faculty and Students,
Influenza is not uncommon this time of year, and as you know, our region is now seeing increasing cases of Norovirus. Flu-like viruses and Norovirus are typically very contagious and students who contract one of these viruses are advised not to attend classes or other public events until symptoms have been resolved for 48 hours in order to prevent the spread of the virus.
We are writing to clarify the University’s policy on issuing excuses for class absence. The catalog reads as follows:
Students may request that an administrative dean notify faculty members about prolonged absences due to serious health problems. Students should consult an administrative dean immediately if non-health-related obligations will force them to miss several classes. Single or brief absences should be discussed by the student and faculty member without necessarily contacting the student’s administrative dean. (Colgate Catalog retrieved 12/07/2021)
In general, these procedures are working well. There are some students and faculty, however, who expect Student Health Services, the emergency room, urgent care, and/or the administrative dean to provide documentation or notify professors of every illness or circumstance that results in one or two missed classes. This practice is not in keeping with the stated policy.
Rather, students are expected to contact their professors directly regarding brief absences that involve missed coursework or exams. At students’ request, their administrative dean will notify professors about an illness or circumstance when it results in prolonged class absences.
Again, students are responsible for notifying their professors of brief absences related to the flu, norovirus, or flu-like viruses.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions regarding this matter.
Douglas Johnson
Dean of Academic and Curricular Affairs, William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences
and
Kim Taylor
Dean for Administrative Advising and Student Conduct