In many courses with enrollment maximums, faculty require students to be in class on the first day of the quarter or to notify the instructor if they are unable to attend the first day. Spaces for registered students who do not attend on the first day or fail to notify the faculty member may be given to students on the waiting list. Students are responsible for attending classes regularly and making up any work missed regardless of the reason for the absence. Except for officially sanctioned excuses, attendance policies are the instructor's prerogative. Instructors may excuse students for any reason that they deem acceptable.
Instructors have the responsibility of informing their classes of attendance policies.
Students should not be penalized for absences due to unavoidable or legitimate circumstances. Such circumstances include, but are not necessarily limited to, verified illness, participation in group activities sponsored by the University, including athletic events, serious family emergencies, subpoenas, jury duty, military service, and religious observances. It is the responsibility of the student to notify faculty of such circumstances as far in advance as possible and to obtain an official excuse. At UMM, official excuses, which faculty are obligated to honor, are available from either the Health Service, in the case of verifiable illness, or the Vice Chancellor for Student Affair's Office, in the case of a personal and family emergency or when the student is performing a function in the interest of the University. In these cases students remain responsible for making up the work that they have missed and faculty are responsible for making a reasonable effort to assist students in completing work covered during excused absences.