Faculty Notification of Emergencies and
Extended Class Absences
If a student, parent, or staff member contacts The Dean of Students Office about a student who is experiencing an emergency (death in the family, hospitalization, severe illness, etc.), the Dean of Students Office can notify the student’s instructors of their situation if the student is unable to do so at that time. It is important to note that The Dean of Students Office cannot excuse absences. In each situation, it is up to the professor and/or academic department to decide whether they are able to work with the student regarding absences and/or missed coursework. Please see the University’s Class Attendance Policy as outlined in the Undergraduate Bulletin for further clarification of the policy.
Per the Class Attendance Policy, the Dean of Students Office Responsibility is as follows:
Notify each instructor on the student’s behalf ONLY when personal reasons (e.g., family emergency, illness, bereavement, birth of a child, military duty, etc.) prevent the student from properly notifying each instructor because of circumstances beyond the student’s control. The student or the student’s representative should contact the Dean of Students Office (336-334-5514) if the student is unable to make direct contact by e-mail or phone with each instructor or is unable to leave word with each instructor’s department.
Review documentation by a licensed health professional and confirm its receipt with each instructor if the student experiences a medical or psychological event that significantly impairs their ability to function successfully or safely as a student.
The student should be aware that assistance of the Dean of Students Office does not change in any way the outcome of the instructor’s decision regarding the student’s academic work, grades and performance in any given course.
Faculty responsibilities for reporting Sexual Harassment, Sexual Violence, Stalking, Dating and Domestic Abuse
Faculty can read more about these behaviors, the university’s response, their responsibilities for reporting such disclosures on Title IX’s website.
To report sexual violence in any form, please use the Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Reporting Form.
TITLE IX: PREGNANT OR PARENTING STUDENTS
Title IX prohibits educational institutions from discriminating against pregnant students based upon their marital status and cannot discriminate against a student because of childbirth, false pregnancy, or recovery from related conditions. Under Title IX, a pregnant student can request a withdrawal from classes without penalty for as long as it is deemed medically necessary to be absent and to resume the academic status held when the leave began. Student do not have to drop classes, program, or change educational plans due to pregnancy, but may be required to make up work that is missed.
Please review the resource links below for additional information. Printed copies of this information can be submitted to your instructor if they ask if or how they can accommodate your pregnancy.
- Pregnant and Parenting Students’ Rights Toolkit
- Pregnant and Parenting Students’ Rights
- Office of Accessibility Resources and Services
- DOE -Office for Civil Rights: Pregnant or Parenting? Title IX Protects You From Discrimination At School
- DOE – Office for Civil Rights: Dear Colleague Letter, June 2013 Regarding Pregnant and Parenting Students
- DOE- Office for Civil Rights: Supporting the Academic Success of Pregnant and Parenting Students, FAQs
- National Women’s Law Center: Pregnant and Parenting Students’ Rights: FAQs for College and Graduate Students
If you have any questions regarding a students’s rights as a pregnant or parenting student, please contact the Title IX Office (336)256- 0362 or the Dean of Students Office (336) 334-5514.
STUDENT POLICY HANDBOOK
The Student Policy Handbook contains the Student Conduct Code and all policies applicable to students. For Academic Integrity information please refer to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.